Mt Climie Track and Tane’s Track: What the Climb Is Really Like
What to expect if you do Mt Climie and Tane’s Track Walk
The Mt Climie Track and Tane’s Track begin from the same patch of Tunnel Gully, but they ask for completely different versions of the day.
You can disappear into the bush for an hour, follow Collins Stream to the small waterfall and be back before lunch. Or you can step onto the gravel road above the picnic area and spend the next few hours finding out how patient your legs are.
Tane’s Track is a 2.3 km loop. Mt Climie is roughly 12 km return to South Climie, with about 460 metres of climbing. Doing both takes the day close to 14 km, though there’s no reason to collect distance for the sake of it.
Mt Climie and Tane’s Track quick facts
Tane’s Track: 2.3 km loop
Time: Around one hour
Mt Climie Track: Roughly 12 km return
Time: Three to five hours
High point: South Climie, about 862 metres
Elevation gain: Around 460 metres
Underfoot: Native bush track and steep gravel access road
Parking: Tunnel Gully Recreation Area
Dogs: On lead around Tane’s Track; check current notices before heading higher
Main thing to know: Tane’s is easy to fit in. Mt Climie needs the day to have some room in it.
Tane’s Track lets the day settle
Tane’s Track leaves the lower picnic area and slips quickly into rimu, mātai, kahikatea, tawa and black beech. It crosses the old Remutaka railway route, follows Collins Stream and climbs gently to a small waterfall.
There are roots, bridges, boardwalk and a few short rises, but nothing that asks much of you. The waterfall is modest. The valley is the part that stays with you: cool bush, moving water and enough quiet to shake the road out of your head.
For families, mixed fitness or days when an hour outside is exactly enough, this loop holds its own.
Then the gravel takes over
Where Tane’s Track meets the Mt Climie access road, the whole feel changes. The bush track gives way to a broad 4WD road built to reach the communications gear on the ridge.
The route is obvious and the ground is straightforward, but there’s roughly six kilometres of climbing before you turn around. Service vehicles may come through, so keep to one side and stay aware.
It looks simple because it is. Easy is another question.
Mt Climie is mostly a test of patience
The road climbs, eases just enough to make you hopeful, then gets back to it. The average gradient is around 14 percent, with steeper sections closer to 20, though your legs will explain that more clearly than the numbers ever could.
Nothing technical gets in the way. It’s just you, the gravel and a hill with plenty of time to expose a bad start.
Settle into a pace you can live with and let the climb unfold. Mt Climie rewards patience far more than enthusiasm.
The wheelchair moment that stayed with us
We once passed a British family pushing their 92-year-old mother up Mt Climie in a wheelchair. They were struggling on one of the steeper sections, and although we offered to help, they wanted to keep managing it together.
The wide gravel road looks more forgiving from below than it feels once the gradient bites. Tane’s Track isn’t a simple wheelchair loop either, with roots, narrow sections, boardwalk edges and short climbs. The picnic areas and lower parts of Tunnel Gully are easier, but neither full route is genuinely accessible.
That family stayed with us because sometimes the hill changes the plan before you’re ready to. Turning around still counts.
The forest slowly falls away
The climb begins under cool broadleaf forest, then opens almost without you noticing. More light gets through, the wind starts finding you and shrubs, astelia and tussock take over as Tunnel Gully drops away below.
The ridge isn’t wild in the postcard sense. Towers and service buildings sit across it because that’s what the road was built to reach. It suits the place: a working hill, rough weather and a lot of sky.
The first tower may be enough
By the first tower, you’ve already done most of the work. The road continues towards North Climie and the higher South Climie point, but extra distance doesn’t always improve the day.
Keep going while the weather, legs and curiosity are still on your side. Turn back when they aren’t. The map won’t take it personally.
The ridge doesn’t care what Tunnel Gully was doing
The bottom can be warm and still while Mt Climie is getting knocked around above the trees.
Once the shelter runs out, the wind gets a clear shot. Cloud can wipe the view, rain feels colder and winter occasionally leaves snow across the ridge.
Take a light shell and a layer that blocks the wind. Nothing dramatic. Just enough to avoid reaching the top sweaty and immediately wanting to leave.
If you’re still working out what layers are actually worth carrying, our What to Wear Hiking in New Zealand guide keeps it practical without turning your pack into a wardrobe.
Bring more water than optimism
There’s nowhere reliable to refill once you start climbing.
The road can get hot, the gradient keeps working on you and thirst usually arrives well after you should’ve done something about it.
Bring enough water, something to eat and a charged phone. Mt Climie is a long walk, not an expedition. Your pack doesn’t need its own support crew.
The way down still has teeth
The lungs get a break. The knees don’t.
Loose gravel, tired legs and a wide road make it easy to drift into a pace you’ll regret later. Keep the steps controlled and don’t let gravity run the last few kilometres.
Poles aren’t essential, but they can earn their place here if long descents usually get into your knees. Our guide to using hiking poles in New Zealand goes into when they genuinely help and when they’re just extra gear hanging off the pack.
Is Mt Climie good for hiking training?
Yes. It’s the kind of hill that exposes bad pacing without needing anything technical.
Go out too hard, skimp on water or leave nothing for the way down and Climie lets you know. That makes it useful for building steady legs and learning how your body behaves over a longer climb.
Walk it well before adding weight, laps or a stopwatch. Training should bring you back stronger, not make you hate the hill.
Can dogs walk Tane’s Track and Mt Climie?
Dogs are allowed on lead around Tane’s Track and parts of Tunnel Gully.
Mt Climie needs more thought. The gravel can heat up, bikes and service vehicles use the road, and the descent can be rough on paws.
Pest-control work can also change access, so check the latest Greater Wellington notices before heading out.
Parking at Tunnel Gully
Tunnel Gully sits at the end of Plateau Road in Te Mārua, around ten minutes north of Upper Hutt.
There are two car parks, toilets and picnic space. Use the upper area for Mt Climie and the lower one for Tane’s Track.
It’s an easy start, unless forestry work has other ideas. Check the notices before leaving home. A locked gate is a poor warm-up.
Which walk should you choose?
Take Tane’s Track when you want an easy hour under the trees and a bit of noise cleared from your head.
Take Mt Climie when your legs need something to argue with.
You can do both, but there’s no gold star for it. If the ridge is clear, climb first. Decide on the bush loop when you’re back down and still feeling generous.
Is Mt Climie worth doing?
Yes, if you like a walk that doesn’t bother dressing itself up.
It’s a service road to a towered summit, and some stretches simply refuse to end. That’s not really a flaw. It’s the point.
On a clear day, the height builds, the noise drops away and the views arrive without much fuss.
It’s not Wellington’s prettiest walk. It is one of those that leaves you feeling better used than entertained.
Before you head out
Check the ridge forecast and any Greater Wellington updates before leaving, especially if the dog’s coming.
Carry your own water and pack a light wind layer. Tunnel Gully can be calm while Mt Climie is getting knocked around above the trees.
You don’t need technical gear. Just wear something that breathes, take a layer that packs down and don’t burn your legs in the first half hour.
That’s the thinking behind our Hiking Gear Essentials. Simple kit that works without making the walk about the kit.
Final take
Mt Climie isn’t technical. It’s just stubborn.
The road keeps climbing, the bush falls away and the ridge makes you earn the view. Then you turn around and get every metre back the hard way.
That’s the whole appeal. No tricks. No big dramatic moment. Just a long gravel grind that clears the head and lets the legs know they’ve been out.
Tane’s Track is for an easy hour in the bush. Mt Climie is for when you want the hill to push back.
FAQ
How long is the Mt Climie Track?
The official Mt Climie route is roughly 12 km return from the upper Tunnel Gully picnic area. Adding Tane’s Track brings the combined distance closer to 14 km.
How long does Mt Climie take?
Allow around three to five hours return. Your time will depend on fitness, stops, weather and whether you continue beyond the first communications tower.
How hard is the Mt Climie Track?
It’s physically demanding but technically simple. The route follows a wide gravel access road, but the sustained climb and steep sections make it much harder than the surface suggests.
How much elevation does Mt Climie gain?
Greater Wellington’s current park brochure lists about 460 metres of climbing to South Climie from the upper picnic area. Other route recordings vary depending on the exact starting point and how much of the ridge is included.
Is Mt Climie suitable for beginners?
Fit beginners can manage it by starting slowly and allowing enough time. Anyone unsure about sustained climbing should try Tane’s Track first or turn around partway up the access road.
Is Mt Climie a loop?
No. Mt Climie is an out-and-back route, so you return along the same gravel road. Tane’s Track is a separate 2.3 km loop near the trailhead.
How long is Tane’s Track?
Tane’s Track is 2.3 km and usually takes around one hour.
Is Tane’s Track easy?
Yes. It’s a relaxed forest loop, although there are roots, short climbs and narrower sections that make it more involved than a fully paved path.
Is there a waterfall on Tane’s Track?
Yes. Tane’s Track passes a small waterfall beside Collins Stream. It’s a pleasant part of the loop rather than a large destination waterfall.
Should you do Tane’s Track before Mt Climie?
Tane’s Track works well as a warm-up when the ridge weather is stable. Head up Mt Climie first when the summit is clear early and cloud or wind is expected later.
Where does the Mt Climie Track start?
The climb begins from the upper picnic area at Tunnel Gully Recreation Area, reached from Plateau Road in Te Mārua.
Is there parking at Tunnel Gully?
Yes. Two parking areas provide access to the tracks, with toilets and picnic facilities around the recreation area.
Are dogs allowed on Mt Climie and Tane’s Track?
Dogs are allowed on Tane’s Track when kept on lead. Wider access can change during pest-control or forestry operations, so check current Greater Wellington notices before taking a dog onto Mt Climie.
Is Mt Climie wheelchair accessible?
No. The wide road may look accessible, but the sustained steep gradient makes the full Mt Climie climb unsuitable for most wheelchair users. Tane’s Track also includes roots, narrow areas and uneven transitions.
What can you see from Mt Climie?
Clear weather can open views across the Hutt Valley, Wellington and the Wairarapa. The summit is exposed, so cloud and strong wind can remove those views quickly.
Does Mt Climie get snow?
Light or brief snowfall can reach the upper ridge in winter. Wind, cloud and lower temperatures are more common concerns, even when Tunnel Gully feels sheltered.
Do you need hiking boots for Mt Climie?
Not necessarily. Trail shoes or comfortable walking shoes with reliable grip will suit many people in dry conditions. Stronger footwear helps when the gravel or clay is wet and loose.
Are there vehicles on the Mt Climie Track?
Yes. The route is a working access road, and service vehicles may use it. Walkers should stay aware and leave enough room for vehicles to pass.
Is there drinking water on Mt Climie?
There’s no reliable drinking-water source along the climb. Carry enough from the start rather than relying on streams or facilities around Tunnel Gully.
Is Mt Climie good for hiking training?
Yes. Its steady climbing, simple footing and long descent make it useful for practising pace, uphill fitness and time on your feet without complicated navigation.