The walk to Hawks Lookout is very easy and will only take you 15 minutes.

The rock formation along the side of the track look like small scaled models of mountain ranges.  From the lookout you look down the Riwaka Valley and out to Motueka and the coast.

Quick Facts about this walk

  • Location: Takaka, Northern tip of the South Island
  • Distance: 0.40 km
  • Time needed: 15 minutes
  • Difficulty: Very Easy
  • Wheelchair Access: No
  • Route: Double back
  • Elevation: 600m
  • Wet Feet: No
  • Toilets: Yes
  • Dogs: No
  • Mobile Coverage: Yes

Summary points about this walk

Walk Highlights

Fantastic view of the Riwaka Valley and out to Motueka and the coast.

Track Quality

Very good

Hazards

The lookout is perched over a very high cliff.

Transport

You need to make your own way here.

Water

No

Driving Instructions

From Motueka drive north on highway 60 as if you were driving to Takaka. You will wind your way up and up the Takaka hill. On the right is a lime stone quarry, you can’t miss the white mark the trucks leave behind as they pull out of the drive. On the other side of the quarry is a gravel pull over. At the next corner look ahead, you should see the Hawks Lookout car park on the left.

Shops & Restaurants Nearby

Very good shopping in Motueka township.

Map Location

Points of interest along the walk​

Hawks Lookout Walk - Start
Hawks Lookout Walk - Start
Hawks Lookout Walk - Start

Start of the Hawks Lookout Walk

A good place to pull over if someone is a little car sick. This is a very short walk, just long enough to stretch the legs.

The rock formations along the side of the track look like small scaled models of mountain ranges without the trees, you could be back in St Arnaud standing on the St Arnaud Ranges. The track through the bush is quite stunning.

Hawks Lookout Walk - Points 2
Hawks Lookout Walk - Points 2

Hawks Lookout Walk

The first few steps out onto the lookout will take your breath away. We were the only two people there. You could just hear a little noise from the road traffic, but the calls from the Tui’s were fantastic, better then a radio.

The road you can see way down in the valley goes to another walk in the Riwaka Valley. The Riwaka Creek is a walk you must do.

See more of my walks in Motueka