Crimson Trail

Our 'Crimson Trails' highlight 'the best and the most beautiful' of the wonderful walks, hikes, and drives throughout New Zealand which lead locals and visitors to some of the most stunning pohutukawa and rata specimen and stands in their region.

On 22 November 2007, Project Crimson launched a ninth Crimson Trail.  It is a celebration of the southern rata stands that exist in the Canterbury region, from the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, to Omihi in North Canterbury to the southern points of Waihi and Mt Cook. Each stop on the Trail has southern rata to view and is a driving trail that primarily follows Highway 73/79 along the foothills of the southern alps.  The stops are:

• The Botanic Gardens, Christchurch
• Omihi Hills, Waipara
• Glentui River, Oxford
• Washpen Falls, Hororata
• Lake Coleridge
• Awa Awa Rata Reserve & Mt Hutt
• Sharplin Falls
• Te Kiekie (Mt Somers)
• Mt Peel
• Waihi River
• Mount Cook

'Crimson Trails' which have been developed to date can be downloaded here: 

Auckland (189 Kb)
Coromandel Pg 1 (1400 Kb)
Coromandel Pg 2 (1297 Kb)
Mt Maunganui (269 Kb)
Rotorua   (353 Kb)
Wellington (202 Kb)
Golden Bay (198 Kb)
Canterbury (6mg)
West Coast (292 Kb)
Southland/Otago (351Kb)

Each Crimson Trail also includes aspects of the restoration and regeneration programmes currently being undertaken by Project Crimson, the Department of Conservation and local councils and communities in the region.