1 active Westland Tai Poutini alert
- CautionActive landslide zones on Copland TrackDo not stop in either of Copland Track’s signposted active landslide zones; take extra care during and after heavy rain.Official details
Overview
About Canavans Knob
Why stop
- A compact climb reaches a granite top with sea, valley and glacier-range views.
Heads up
- The steady rainforest climb can feel steep, and cloud can hide the glacier.
Map
Where it is
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Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide
Your drive to Canavans Knob, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Westland Tai Poutini National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Westland Tai Poutini audio tourRecorded for this place
Canavans Knob: Two Views from a Granite Hill0:00 / 0:21
“The Canavans Knob trailhead is coming up, for a short but steep rainforest climb. Allow an hour to an hour and a half return from the car park.”
Plays as you drive up to Canavans Knob in the Parkwolf Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- When the Rātā Flowers
- West Coast Wildlife Centre: Finding the Kiwi
- Terrace Walk: Glowworms Among Fallen Trees
- Cowan Street Walks: Callery Gorge
- 49 audio storiesacross Westland Tai Poutini’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Blue Duck, Kererū, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 31 trails, 53 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Canavans Knob
A short climb above Franz JosefCanavans Knob is a 249 m granite outcrop and viewpoint just south of Franz Josef/Waiau.
Canavans Knob is a 249 m granite outcrop and viewpoint just south of Franz Josef/Waiau. The walk from its signed car park is 3.2 km return; allow about an hour from there, or up to 1 hour 40 if you walk from town. It’s a good short climb for a high view across the Waiho valley, but cloud can hide the glacier. Dogs aren’t allowed.
From stopbank to rainforestThe first 800 m follows the Waiho River stopbank.
The first 800 m follows the Waiho River stopbank. Then the track climbs steadily through rainforest to the granite top. It’s classed as an easy short walk, though some visitors find the uphill bush section steeper or tighter than they expected. Carry drinking water, insect repellent and sun protection; take warm, waterproof layers because the weather can change quickly.
Look both ways from the topThe outcrop gives you two different views: out toward the sea and coastal lowlands, then inland…
The outcrop gives you two different views: out toward the sea and coastal lowlands, then inland up the Waiho River toward Franz Josef Glacier and the Southern Alps. Go in a clear spell if the glacier is your main reason for climbing. Some trees interrupt parts of the outlook, so look around the top rather than expecting one completely open panorama. For a photo, keep the forested valley and river plain in the frame beneath the ranges; a tighter view picks out the glacier and peaks.
Granite that survived the iceThe knob’s granite is older than the schist in the glacier valley across the Alpine Fault.
The knob’s granite is older than the schist in the glacier valley across the Alpine Fault. It survived the scraping of glacier ice about 9,000 years ago, while softer rock around it was carved away. That’s why this small outcrop stands above the valley.
Who Canavan wasThe name comes from Richard Canavan, an Okarito businessman during the gold rush.
The name comes from Richard Canavan, an Okarito businessman during the gold rush. In 1872, he walked past Franz Josef with New Zealand Premier Sir William Fox. His name stuck to this granite outcrop, tying the view to the coast’s gold-rush past.
Starting from townThe signed car park is 1.2 km south of Franz Josef/Waiau.
The signed car park is 1.2 km south of Franz Josef/Waiau. You can also walk from town: cross the Waiho River Bridge, turn sharply right onto the stopbank, then follow the markers across a creek and along the next stopbank to the track. That makes the return about 6.3 km. Check track conditions and weather at the Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre before setting out.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Westland Tai Poutini
89 sightingsKeaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
10 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
80 sightingsKererūMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
38 sightingsTūīMost seen around 5 AMSighting map
10 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
28 sightingsYellow-crowned ParakeetMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Westland Tai Poutini. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
