Rameka Track

Rameka Track is a shared walking and mountain-bike track dropping from Pages Saddle through beech forest. This entry maps a walk out and back on that corridor: about 14.2 km (8.8 mi) in total, with roughly 450 m of climbing; allow five to six hours including the approach from Canaan Downs. The Department of Conservation’s page labels its 6 km figure a loop, but describes a downhill track and no return connection. The named mapped line is about 7.1 km one way, so this route turns around at the end of the DOC section and retraces it.

From Pages Saddle the path sidles down through beech forest. The first five kilometres descend gently, with rocky sections and creek crossings; the last stretch drops more steeply. The way back climbs the same line. The sampled profile ranges from about 825 m at its high point to 476 m at the end, so expect a real climb on the return rather than a flat stroll.

Park at Canaan Downs, at the end of the narrow, winding, unsealed Canaan Road off SH60. From the car park, walk uphill for about ten minutes on Moa Park Track to the Rameka turnoff at Pages Saddle. This is not a walkers-only track: the Department of Conservation asks mountain bikers to give way, but you share their downhill route. Dogs aren’t allowed. Turn around at the end of the DOC section; the gravel road and Pack Track, Great Expectations and The Klicks continue the separate descent across publicly accessible private land.