Orongomai Trail
- 1 hr loop track
- Easy/medium
- Totara Trail: 20 minutes
- Quarry Trail: 35 minutes
- Quarry and Fantail Trails: 35 minutes
Forest loop track in Kennedys Bush on the Christchurch Port Hills.
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Walking time
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1 hr |
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Distance
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2.6km |
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Type
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Loop track
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Grade
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Easy/medium |
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Bookings
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No bookings — open access
No — open access
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Starts
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Sign of the Bellbird shelter, Summit Road Christchurch |
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Maps
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NZTopo50-BX24
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Altitude
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260m
–
447m
Altitude change 187m
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The Orongomai Trail is the main loop exploring the forest of Kennedys Bush. It was largely unaffected by the fires of February 2017.
Kennedys Bush car park is located on the Summit Road just past Mount Ada. The loop starts near the remains of the old stone resting house. This is a popular picnic spot with toilets near by.
take the track to the right into forest. It descends through forest, passing the marked ends of the Totara, Holdsworth, and Quarry Trails in quick succession. Sidling beneath kānuka trees, the light trail crosses a stream gully several times, passes a few tōtara trees, and begins to ascend up a second gully.
The track passes the ends of the Quarry and Fantail Trails, then comes upon a lookout rock that breaks through the canopy for a view. Passing the Totara Trail, the track crosses a stile to return to the Sign of the Bellbird just near the toilet.
Several shorter loops can be made by taking the cross-cutting tracks:
| This track needs a photograph. |