Anchorage to Bark Bay

This is the one-way coastal section of the Abel Tasman Coast Track between Anchorage Hut and Bark Bay Hut: 11.5 km (7.15 mi), usually about four hours. The route rises above the shore, returns to Torrent Bay’s tidal estuary, then crosses coastal forest and the 47-metre Falls River suspension bridge before descending to Bark Bay. It is a point-to-point day walk, not a loop, with a mix of sand, forest track and ridge views. Some climbs are steep, and the path can be rough or muddy.

The saved route takes the all-tide path around Torrent Bay estuary. A shorter 8.4 km (5.22 mi), three-hour alternative crosses the estuary within two hours either side of low tide; use the tide table before choosing it. Cleopatra’s Pool is a separate two-hour return detour from Anchorage and is not included in the distance or time above.

Neither Anchorage nor Bark Bay has road access. Book a water taxi to Anchorage and arrange a Bark Bay pickup before setting out; the hike does not return to its start. Mārahau is the road-access end, with a public car park. Private operator parking is for that operator’s clients. Day walking has no entry fee, dogs are not permitted, and hut or campsite stays need advance booking. There is no food outlet on this section. Hut and campsite water is untreated, and huts have no cooking facilities, so plan your food, water treatment and cooking gear rather than counting on a stop along the way.

From Anchorage, the higher track climbs a coastal ridge before dropping toward Torrent Bay and its winding estuary edge. It gives broader views across the bays than the shorter beach crossing. The low-tide alternative starts from the north end of Anchorage Beach and cuts directly across the estuary flats; it is a timing choice, not the line shown here. The side trip to Cleopatra’s Pool leaves the main track near Torrent Bay. Its clear rock pool and smooth natural slide make it tempting, but the return walk adds about two hours.

Beyond Torrent Bay, the route spends more time in coastal forest. Falls River is crossed on a 47-metre suspension bridge, a good place to look down at the green water and surrounding bush. For a photo, frame the span toward the opposite forested bank so the drop and water stay visible. Past the bridge, the track climbs and descends through trees, with openings toward Medlands Beach and Bark Bay. A side track reaches Sandfly Bay, where the beach access involves rock-hopping; treat that as an optional detour, not part of the mapped endpoint route. Bark Bay finishes the walk at a narrow sandy cove beside a tidal inlet, with a hut and campsite for booked overnight stays.

Listen for kākā in the forest: three young birds were released at Bark Bay in November 2024 as part of local restoration work. Fur seals are another possibility along the coast, though sightings are never guaranteed. Tides and storms shift the channels and sand forms around Torrent Bay and Sandfly Bay, so the shoreline can look different from one visit to the next. The track is walked year-round and is busiest from October through April.