Pitt Head Loop Track

Pitt Head Loop Track is a 3.2 km (about 2 mi) circuit from Anchorage campsite, linking Te Pukatea Bay and Pitt Head Lookout before returning to Anchorage. Allow about 1½ hours for the loop, with longer if you stop at the beach. It is a good choice if you are already at Anchorage and want more than a quick beach visit: you get a crescent of sand, coastal forest, and a view from the headland in one short walk. The figure covers the circuit only; it does not include a long walk in from Mārahau.

Start at the southern side of Anchorage campsite. The path climbs through coastal forest to Te Pukatea, where the small crescent-shaped beach and campsite make a natural place to pause. Pack lunch if you want to eat here, and allow time if you plan a swim. From the bay, the route follows the headland path toward Pitt Head. The distance is short, but the rises and turns make it feel like a real walk rather than a flat beach stroll.

At Pitt Head Lookout, turn to take in the coast back toward Torrent Bay and north along the park; the view reaches open water as well. A smaller viewpoint before the end gives a closer look into the bay, so pause there if the beach view is what you came for. From the headland, follow the cliff-top side back toward Anchorage. Some of the access near the campsite is shared, so the complete loop uses that short connector twice. For a photo, frame the curve of Te Pukatea with the wooded headland; that shows why this walk's views belong together.

Pitt Head is part of the predator-control work of the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust. In 2016 the trust moved 34 South Island robins to the intensively trapped headland. That gives the forest stretch a good story: the birdsong people associate with Pitt Head is part of deliberate local conservation work. Listen as you walk rather than expecting a particular sighting. The relocation is a confirmed event, but it does not guarantee that a robin will show itself on your visit.

There is no road access at Anchorage. Take a water taxi to the campsite, or walk the Abel Tasman Coast Track from Mārahau; the official trip sheet lists Anchorage 12.4 km and about four hours from Mārahau, so the 3.2 km loop can become a much longer out-and-back. Park in Mārahau before taking a boat. Dogs are not allowed anywhere in Abel Tasman National Park. Anchorage and Te Pukatea have campsite facilities, including toilets, but park water may be contaminated; DOC advises filtering, treating, or boiling it. Overnight stays in huts and campsites need a booking.