Parking
Start at the car park beside Ōkārito School House on The Strand. From Franz Josef, drive 15 km north on State Highway 6 to the signed Ōkārito turnoff, then continue 13 km on the sealed road to the township.
Overview
About Ōkārito Wetland Walk
Why go
- Curving boardwalk across the estuary
- Easy and wheelchair-accessible to the viewpoint
- Good wetland birdwatching stop
Heads up
- Very short outing
- Track beyond the viewpoint is not fully accessible
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Westland Tai Poutini map
Full mapElevation1–22 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide
Your drive to Ōkārito Wetland Walk, 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 trailhead
Ōkārito Walks: the Trig or the Wetland0:00 / 0:24
“Up ahead is the start of the Ōkārito walks, beside the old schoolhouse.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Ōkārito Wharf: a Gold-Rush Port
- Rowi Keep the Family Together
- Pakihi Walk: Wetland, Forest and Mountains
- Why Pakihi Stays Open
- 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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Ōkārito Wetland Walk
A quick lagoon-side walkŌkārito Wetland Walk is an easy return walk from the car park beside Ōkārito School House on…
Ōkārito Wetland Walk is an easy return walk from the car park beside Ōkārito School House on The Strand. The path winds through bush, curves over the estuary on a boardwalk, then climbs gently to a bench overlooking the wetlands. It is 1 km return and takes about 20 minutes; leave a little extra time to stop at the view. This is the short walk, distinct from the longer Trig and coastal routes.
Across the wetlandThe boardwalk is the defining stretch, bending through wetland plants between bush sections.
The boardwalk is the defining stretch, bending through wetland plants between bush sections. At its far end, the path rises gently to the viewpoint. The walk to that point is wheelchair- and pram-accessible; the track beyond the viewpoint is not fully accessible.
Birdlife at Ōkārito LagoonThe lagoon supports more than 76 native bird species, including kōtuku (white heron) and royal…
The lagoon supports more than 76 native bird species, including kōtuku (white heron) and royal spoonbills. The boardwalk and viewpoint offer open sightlines over the wetland, but sightings are never guaranteed.
Getting there and backFrom Franz Josef, drive 15 km north on State Highway 6 to the signed Ōkārito turnoff, then…
From Franz Josef, drive 15 km north on State Highway 6 to the signed Ōkārito turnoff, then follow the sealed road 13 km to the car park beside Ōkārito School House on The Strand. Return the same way. No pets are allowed in the national park; certified disability assist dogs are permitted.
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.
