Boulder Hill
Boulder Hill Summit
Wellington’s Belmont Regional Park, the hike up Boulder Hill passes through regenerating native bush, before emerging on to farmland and an atmospheric summit covered in large boulders.
| List Status | Official |
| Elevation | 442 m (1,450 ft) |
| Location/List | North Island, New Zealand |
| Region | Wellington |
| Location Coordinates | 41° 9′ 8″ S, 174° 56′ 14″ E |
| Nearest Town/s | Lower Hutt, Wellington
|
| LINZ Topographic map/s | BP32 Paraparaumu |
| Geology | Sedimentary |
| Recommended Route | |
|---|---|
Duration  |
2 hours (return) |
| Distance | 2.6 km (1.6 mi) |
| Start/End Points | Kaitangata Crescent, Kelson |
| Difficulty |
Easy |
| Track conditions |
Path, Track |
| Season |
All year (may be closed for lambing Aug-Oct) |
| Sights | Views , Views of Lower Hutt and Porirua |
| Hazards | High winds , muddy and slippery |
Getting There
By Car From SH2 drive north from Lower Hutt City Centre, or south from Upper Hutt. Turn into the suburb of Kelson and drive up Major Drive. When you reach Kaitangata Crescent, turn left and follow the road almost to its very end. Just before the road end, there is a carpark for the walk on your left.
Public Transport The suburb of Kelson can be reached by the Lower Hutt bus system (Number 150). This bus stops on Major Drive near Kaitangata Crescent. From the bus stop you will need to walk the remaining distance to the Kaitangata Crescent carpark (approx 20 minutes). See MetLink
Google Earth Map
- You can also
view Boulder Hill in Google Earth
NZ Topographic Map
Our Recommended Route
From the carpark, walk a few steps up the tar-sealed access road toward the start of the walk. Turn right and start on up the track. The walk goes uphill through re-generating bush. It is an easy climb on a well formed track. From the track there are good views back into the Hutt Valley.
After a period of hiking up the hill, the track goes downhill for a short way before coming to a gate, which you must pass through. Ensure that you close the gate behind you after you have gone through. Signs point the way to Boulder Hill, so follow the signs and take the left-hand turn up the 4wd track. (Turning right will take you to Dry Creek – an alternative starting point).
You are now walking on private farmland, so take care to stay on the track. The regenerating forest has gone now, and the track continues upwards through paddocks. In places the track can be muddy and swampy after rain, so be prepared to possibly get your feet wet.
You will reach a stile, which you must cross, and a short distance from the stile is the summit of Boulder Hill marked by a number of large rocks. From the summit there are panoramic views of the Hutt, and the coastline on both sides. In windy weather the top of Boulder Hill can be quite blustery so it is wise to take warm clothing with you to put on.
Return to the carpark the same way you came up.
Route Options
Other options for Boulder Hill include starting at Dry Creek near the SH2 and SH 58 (Haywards Hill) intersection (accross the road from Manor Park Railway Station). From Dry Creek you could either do a return trip to Boulder Hill, or you could come down via Kaitangata Crescent (with alternative transport arranged).
The track from the top of Boulder Hill also connects with Belmont Trig, so it is possible to approach Boulder Hill from this direction also.
Height Profile
