Wellington Regional Trails
Three people standing on top of Birchville Dam. Green trees and bushes surround them.

Construction detour in place

A temporary closure is currently in place until early December. The walkway to Birchville Dam from Bridge Road and Tulsa Park will be temporarily closed for new stairs to be constructed. You can still walk from Tulsa Park to the end of Reservoir Ridge Road.

Read more on Greater Wellington

Last updated: 21 November 2024

Zigzag through the hills north of Upper Hutt to the historic Birchville Dam.

Walking time

3 hr

Length

7.7km

Uses

Walking/Running, Mountain Biking

Type

Single track

Walking difficulty

Easy: Walking track

Mountain Bike Grade

Intermediate: Grade 3

Profile

304m climb

341m highest point

Dogs

Yes (on lead)
Bird's-eye view of Birchville Dam showing the blue waters of the dam surrounded by native ferns and bush.

About the trail

The walk to Birchville Dam is a popular intermediate-level trail in the Akatarawa Forest.

From Tulsa Park, zigzag uphill through private land and Akatarawa Forest to the summit. You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views over the Hutt Valley.

The trail continues along old forestry roads to the north and descends to the historic Birchville Dam. Built in 1929, the dam supplied water to Upper Hutt until 1954.

From the dam, walk 1 kilometre downstream and over a suspension bridge to the end of the trail.

Wooden bridge on the Cannon Point Walkway Track surrounded by native trees.

Getting there

  • You can start or finish the trail from Tulsa Park or Bridge Road in Upper Hutt:
    • To start at Tulsa Park drive on State Highway 2 to Upper Hutt, turn onto Totara Park Road and continue to the end of the street.
    • To start at Bridge Road, drive on State Highway 2 to Brown Owl, Upper Hutt. Turn onto Akatarawa Road and continue until you see the signpost for Bridge Street. The car park is about halfway along Bridge Road. Look out for the Cannon Point Walkway signs.
  • There are regular bus and train services to Upper Hutt. Timetables are available from Metlink.
a birds-eye view of four people walking across a swing bridge surrounded by lush green forest on the Cannon Point Walkway in Upper Hutt, New Zealand.

Know before you go

  • Download the Plan My Walk app by the NZ Mountain Safety Council for track alerts, weather forecasts, trip reviews and a packing list.
  • Check the track status on the Greater Wellington Regional Council website
  • Toilets are not available on this trail.
  • A water fountain and benches are available at Tulsa Park.
  • Bikes are not allowed on the Bridge Road to Birchville Dam section of the trail.
  • Dogs are welcome in most areas but must be under control. Dogs must be on lead through the southern part of the walkway (Tulsa Park and Zig Zag entrance) as it crosses private land.

For more tips and advice before heading out on Wellington’s trails check out our before you go section.

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