Explore public access areas in Aotearoa New Zealand's outdoors
Find publicly accessible areas, tracks, conservation land and property information.
All of our public access maps in one place. Including the Outdoors Access, Tangata Whenua, Tracks & Trails, Hunting & Fishing and Property maps.
Take our maps anywhere
Download spatial data files
Explore walking and tramping tracks and plan your next journey
A guide to help you navigate our mapping tools
He mahere tēnei hei whakamārama atu i ētahi o ngā wāhi Māori o Aotearoa mō koutou e hīkoi ana.
Information about accessing the outdoors, including how to resolve disputes
There are many different types of legal public access. We detail some of the main ones you are likely to encounter.
PAEs are a specific form of public access to forests.
Your rights of public access along rivers, lakes and the coast — including marginal strips, esplanade reserves, esplanade strips and access strips.
Colloquially known as paper roads, these roads can look private, but are open to public access.
You must get permission from the landholder to cross private land.
Information about accessing the outdoors responsibly, including roads, walkways, rivers and lakes, and private land.
We support trail groups that create public access to the outdoors, and build or maintain tracks and trails.
Herenga ā Nuku helps people find resolutions to outdoor public access disputes.
The obligations and opportunities for landholders when they have recreational visitors on their land.
Ko ēnei ngā mea tautoko mō tātou ngā tangata whenua hei kaiwhakahaere whenua.
Asking permission, caring for the environment, motor vehicles, carrying a gun, mountain bikes, horses, fires and other information
Herenga ā Nuku has regional field advisors located throughout Aotearoa. They are our public voice in the regions.
The outdoor access code encourages us to respect the whenua and the people who care for whenua.
Our latest news, recent publications, and information about who we are.
Find out about our advocacy work, projects and collaborations.
Building a legacy of public access to the outdoors for everyone in New Zealand.
Read the latest news from Herenga ā Nuku, listen to our podcasts or sign up to our regular newsletters.
We welcome your questions and suggestions.
Annual reports, corporate documents, research, submissions, research and other publications
Imagine a 500km trail from Gisborne to Ōpōtiki, following the coast and dipping inland to connect 22 communities and 64 marae.
While all these places may appear on maps to allow public access, dinosaurs, spies, killer spores, and jet bombers will keep you out.
Contact an advisor to investigate or negotiate public outdoor access.
Receive the latest news from Herenga ā Nuku.
Get the app to take our maps with you just about anywhere.
The Outdoor Access Code is a Herenga ā Nuku publication, which sets out the rights and responsibilities of recreational users and landholders.
You must get permission from the landholder to cross private land. There's no 'right to roam' in New Zealand.
Carrying and using firearms is subject to the Arms Act 1983. The law generally concerns reasonableness and safety.
If you have permission to take your dog with you, keep it under control, to protect other animals, plants and people
“I love nothing better than to be trotting along a verdant river valley or galloping along a vast stretch of beach. Me and my horse and the outdoors.”
We are lucky to have access to tracks close to our cities and towns and wide bike-able open spaces. But we have to remember that we are sharing these with others.
Our environment is an asset and needs to be treated with care. The Outdoor Access Code supports the “Leave No Trace environmental care code”
Fires are easy to start, but hard and costly to put out. So it is critical that people take simple precautions to avoid endangering life and property.
Exploring some of New Zealand’s rarely travelled public and private roads by four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle is an exhilirating experience.
Unless there has been special agreement with the landowner or public land administrator bikes, dogs or horses may not be taken on a walkway.
Generally, you cannot use motor vehicles on tracks. Even where vehicle access is allowed, such as on an unformed legal road, it is polite to inform the landholder.
We have a responsibility to avoid spreading disease, pests and weeds. Through responsible behaviour, we can help keep our wildlife, plants and our livestock safe.
If you're crossing a farm you need to be aware of Mycoplasma Bovis. It does not pose any risk to you, but you can take some simple steps to stop it spreading.
Be aware of seasonal activities that may affect outdoor public access, such as calving and lambing.
Page last updated: 29 August 2024
