Best single-day hiking trails in Nelson Tasman

If you’re after an easy wander that still feels like a proper escape, the Maitai Caves walk is a bit of a local gem.

The 3-hour loop walk in the Aorere Valley explores some of the area's more accessible gold-mining remnants, including the Slate River Sluicing Company Dam (Druggans Dam) and the Aorere Caves.

A steep but rewarding climb in Mount Richmond Forest Park, the Mount Duppa Summit Track winds through lush beech forest, past striking rock formations, before opening onto a rugged ridgeline with sweeping views across the Bryant and Richmond ranges, Cable Bay and the Marlborough Sounds on a clear day.

The St Arnaud Range track climbs steadily through red beech, silver beech, and mountain beech forest for approximately two hours before emerging at Parachute Rocks. Glacial activity in Nelson Lakes National Park many, many years ago shaped the dramatic landscape, creating moraine terraces, valleys, and lake tarns.

The dramatically rugged landscapes of Cape Farewell have been carved out by the wild western weather, forming an archway in the quartz sandstone cliff that drops vertically into the raging seas below.

The Ben Nevis Track climbs through forest, tussock, and rocky crags to a 1619 m summit with sweeping views over Tasman Bay and Red Hill. It’s a challenging alpine tramp with no water sources, so come prepared and expect rapidly changing conditions.

The stunning scenery at Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes National Park changes with the seasons, from the vibrant red and golden hues of autumn, to the blanket of snow that wraps the lake in a cool embrace during winter.

Lake Rotoiti is the main access point for many of the walks that dissect the Nelson Lakes National Park, including the Travers-Sabine Circuit and Lake Angelus, but many of the area’s ‘hidden gems’ are actually within easy reach of the lake itself, including Whisky Falls.