Reviews of Castle Hill Conservation Area / Kura Tawhiti. (Museum) in Christchurch (Canterbury).

Castle Hill Conservation Area / Kura Tawhiti

0 Reviews

398 Comments

Museum

Tourist attraction

West Coast Road, Castle Hill 7580, New Zealand

Description

Information of Castle Hill Conservation Area / Kura Tawhiti, Museum in Christchurch (Canterbury)

Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.

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Open hours of Castle Hill Conservation Area / Kura Tawhiti

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Reviews of Castle Hill Conservation Area / Kura Tawhiti

C.

We love this place. We see it's undergoing some changes. All the trees have been removed, I understand they weren't natives, but it's going to be hot in the summer with no shade for the cars! They are building a small covered picnic area though. They are also putting a formed loop track in around the easier walking parts. Can't compare with the view from the top rocks though! 😉 So different from when we used to park on the roadside & go through a small gate. No pathways..just grass! 🤗

b.

😻stunning on a good day. Not too strenuous of a walk. Can take it as fast or as slow as you like. About 1 km I would say Beautiful views , worth a visit !!

M.

What's not to love! An easy drive from Christchurch. Windy towards the end at times but don't rush... This place has a car park and a basic toilet block. There's a shingle track to lead you all the way around the good hour or so walk. Or you can venture up the goat tracks that people have kind of made over years of adventuring around the place! The kids love climbing up the rocks and kept oooing and ahhing at the view so it must be good! The snow capped mountains so near were definitely a highlight.

B.

Amazing place for a hike and a picnic. Don't be deceived, it's a good 15 minutes from the carpark to on if the rocks, and the full loop could take you 4 hours, but plenty of shorter routes, cliffs, caves and breathtaking scenery.

C.

Thats the car park, if you want to explore castle hills, that place is awesome and you can spend easily the whole day here. The whole place is magical and every time you will find something new, it’s huge and like a labyrinth. Highly recommended place

S.

Can spend hours here exploring around the rocks. There is a high fenced area which you can also explore but there is only one gate so you can’t pass through the other side, no path through south of the nature preserve. Make sure to use sunscreen and take water.

S.

Fantastic landscape and rocks are readily accessible for climbing and exploring. Great place to take the kids.

W.

Limestone rock formations 30-40 million years old carved and sculptered by glaciers and the constant erosion of the rain and wind. The Castle Hill boulders reminded early settlers of a fortified castle, hence its derived name. A short 10 minute walk from the Great Alpine Highway 7.

S.

I could spend soooo much time exploring here. The boulders offer great views of the surrounding mountainsides, and the trails wind in and around the whole hillside. Short trail from the car park to the actual boulders. There are several short, steep trails you can use to scramble up to the top, but also a longer, more level one that winds up around the side.

A.

Make sure not to miss this! Unbelievable rock formations to explore on this easy walk.

W.

A popular spot for bouldering, a nice place to see some funny shaped rocks. Visited the place in foggy and snowy weather, it's pretty exposed but definitely a good experience.

D.

It's a long walk but once your at the top, you can walk around the huge stones and get good snaps. Family with kids can go but not with stroller.

N.

Such an amazing rock formation. I never get enough every time I’m there.

S.

Stopped by this place when I passed through Arthur's Pass. It was so serene and tranquil. A short walk from the parking area to the rocks. You can climb just be careful. At the time of my visit there were no one else except me. I can conquer the place all to myself. However, please avoid the toilet at all cost.

H.

Such an amazing place to stopby on Aurthur's Pass. As an ADS tour guide, I tried to stop here as much as possible in the past. These giant stones and rocks look so real, and I could imagine hundreds of years ago maybe some iwis lived here and used such as a Pa. Definitely worth going, if you have a great cam, you will get some great photos. Such a shame that the Covid global pandemic has greatly shrinked the number of visitors to this site, good for me and my photos, but not NZL's economy. We will be back for this breath taking scenes!

E.

Majestic rock walk, easy walk and great paths.

c.

If you have the opportunity do the caves, its a great experience and you will definitely come out smiling. We did it in Januay with wetsuits but felt like we could've done it with thermals and swim shorts. Its cold at first but you honestly get used to it. Take some waterproof torches or just use glad snaplock bags. Oh and make sure you stop at Darfield Dairy and get a single serve icecream, you won't be disappointed. Hope you find this review helpful.

M.

From the parking area, you can see the towering tors and limestone rocks. This place is suitable for walking and hiking to the nearby hill, and is also good for bouldering and rock climbing. The park is huge and plenty of open spaces for picnic. Parking is available.

E.

Beautiful place to view the wonders of nature. Stunning views and plenty of photo opportunity for photographers. We spent an afternoon here and our 6 year old son thoroughly loves it. There are different tracks with varying degrees of difficulty but we found it very accommodating and suitable for our family. You'd want to have suitable shoes and comfortable wear as the area is exposed. It's a very popular tourist spot and one of many scenic destinations along the Southern Alpine. Great place for family picnics though you'd want to bring your own mats and prepared food.

K.

Beautiful place to explore, relax and have a picnic.

W.

Limestone rock formations 30-40 million years old carved and sculptered by glaciers and the constant erosion of the rain and wind. The Castle Hill boulders reminded early settlers of a fortified castle, hence its derived name. A short 10 minute walk from the Great Alpine Highway 7.

V.

Amazing, another must do stop ,the views and rock formations are spectacular

S.

I could spend soooo much time exploring here. The boulders offer great views of the surrounding mountainsides, and the trails wind in and around the whole hillside. Short trail from the car park to the actual boulders. There are several …

K.

A really cool place to stop along the road to take in the rock formations. There are some stinky toilets at the car park and also one conveniently out near the rocks to protect the area from those with weak bladders. Definitely pack food going along through these spots as little cafes are few and far between.

M.

Lots of places to play hide and seek, stunning views and amazing photo backgrounds. Each and every boulder has a unique shape.

L.

I wish we had more time to spend here! It was very fun to walk around :)

A.

What a place. So peaceful. Second time here and still amazing. We recommend to visit both the left and right area, then you have a lot of different perspectives. Large car park with long drop toilets. Highly recommend.

M.

From the parking area, you can see the towering tors and limestone rocks. This place is suitable for walking and hiking to the nearby hill, and is also good for bouldering and rock climbing. The park is huge and plenty of open spaces for picnic. Parking is available.

W.

A popular spot for bouldering, a nice place to see some funny shaped rocks. Visited the place in foggy and snowy weather, it's pretty exposed but definitely a good experience.

I.

A must stop if driving past. Truly a spectacular sight. I would not liken it to Stonehenge as it is not arranged. However the size of the boulders are incredible and very numerous. I would recommend wearing enclosed footwear as the area is quite steep. There are toilets at the car park as well as halfway down the track.

E.

Coming closer to the entrance your just surrounded by stunnung views. Sometimes is easy to forget that New Zealand is stunning practically everywhere you go. Stunning hills on each site you look and the beautiful rocks of castle hill in the middle of it. A nice parklig lot (no sign of robbery at all when I was there, I saw a warning on campermate... it was a nice day though with a lot of other people). Before you enter there are toilets and a information board. I took my time and spent about 4 hours wondering around, going around and true the Rocks, going further away and climbing a mountain to have a really nice vieuw, it's definitely worth it go walk further than the first part (if you have thd time). Spectacular views all around and within.

A.

Beautiful area full of incredible rock formations to explore and climb. You would need to spend at least half an hour here to walk to the main area from the car park and spend a little time taking it in. To really enjoy the experience prepare to spend an hour or two wandering around exploring and taking in the views. Only a mild level of fitness is required to access the whole area.

M.

Great place to visit and explore. Amazing nature and must see spot if you are in this area. Public toilest and parking available. You will easily spend at least 1 hour here. Hiking shoes can be useful but not necessary.

s.

awesome walk for families with kids. Take extra care when walking downhill, some slopes are a bit slippery especially if it has been drizzling. Over all, the place is awesome and you can certainly feel the awesomeness and connection with nature. Plus points to the snowy backdrop during winter, and can some times have snow on the ground too. It's about an hour drive from christchurcj following state highway 73, past porters ski area.

D.

What a cool place to explore, for us and the kids. Plenty of little tracks, and many different rock formations around each corner. Beautiful.

J.

Easy short walk with great views

M.

Lots of places to play hide and seek, stunning views and amazing photo backgrounds. Each and every boulder has a unique shape.

C.

Always a favourite. This time we were there for the moonrise, my phone camera doesn't do it justice...

J.

Magnificent views! Remember to walk behind the limestone if you like trekking. It's quite cold on top of the hill.

R.

Must visit location. Be sure to walk an extra 5 mins at the end of the track to view the rocks from the top. You can spend hours here if you want to or you can spend up to an hour for a quick visit.

E.

Gorgeous place , a great place for an explore and there are so many nooks and crannies to look at. Keep a lot of time aside and you'll have an amazing day

J.

One of the highlights of my trip. Shame we didn't bring any climbing equipment since it is a dream come true for a climbers here(mostly boulders). I could be there all day and just play with these boulders. Despite not having the equipment, the walks are perfect too. If I'm back to NZ, definitely going back here.

K.

Beautiful place to explore, relax and have a picnic.

S.

Amazing rock formations and lovely walk around the area. Even got conned into abseiling down off the big rock!

F.

Beautiful area with stunning rock formations. Allow minimum 20 minutes to explore and walk around. There is a toilet at the car park.

J.

You would be silly not to check this out when doing Arthur's Pass! If you don't ha e the time make sure you still squeeze in a quick 30mins-1h as it really is just a sight to see! Can't recommend it enough.

S.

Beautiful, a great chance to take a break on the Arthur's Pass road. The steep snow capped mountains surrounding, dramatically contrasted against the rounded nubs of Castle Hill. You can boulder off some of the rocks if that floats your boat, or just wander around and appreciate their wacky shapes

j.

A fairly compact site of very unusual limestone formations. Good to walk, photograph, picnic and the car park has two loos..

C.

So cool, you can climb on all the rocks i love it and could have spent hours there. The view is amazing And no picture will be like seeing it

D.

Absolutely stunning. We stopped here while driving from CHCH to Greymouth, and didn't intend to stay too long. But once we got up into the boulders, we ended up climbing around for a couple hours. The view from the top is beautiful, but mostly each boulder is stunning, and if you're fit and careful they're a lot of fun to climb on.

V.

Ohmygosh! Do yourself a favor and take an hour of your life to play around these boulders! It is like a little world inside with amazing views in every direction! Loved, loved, loved!

G.

Such a beautiful and existing place. The kids just loved it. You should spare at least an hour to tour this site. The kids would like to climb those rocks.

P.

One of the best place what i've ever seen!!!

A.

Loved the views from here with big limestone rocks. A must stop on the way to Arthur's Pass. It's amazing how these natural stones have formed amazing shapes.

P.

Very good attraction and a must stop in the drive through Arthur's pass.You can climb up the rocks or get tons of phots because there is lot of variations on the rock formations.

Z.

Beautiful site Walk all the way up and to the back of the hill - but DO BE CAREFUL! As there is no safety bars protecting you from a slip.

I.

Beautiful place!!! Need to be careful walking the trail, some place might be slippery. But love the view!!

H.

Clean amenities. Path unmarked and signage is limited. High places such as top of the cliff is without fence. Rocks and dirt path also slippery. Nevertheless, the view is scenic. You can also do bouldering but should bring your own mattress and gear. But I did not see any sport rock climbing track.

P.

Intersting place with some special vibe. All those limestones and its creations are just like anything seen somewhere else, whole place is so peaceful and worth visiting even if you only had few minutes to spent there. Stones are near the carpark itself so no long, nor difficult hike is required to get there.

A.

Beautiful place! I love it here. There are pit toilets in the parking area and out on the path. The view is spectacular and it wasn't too busy when we were visiting. Hope to go again someday.

S.

Great little walk with a stunning view up top. The toliets are just long drops but they have hand sanatiser there for after so that's OK. The walk is self is short but steep so it's fun to just slowly neander around the field making your way closet to the top and suddenly your there. Awesome little stop on the way fr Greymouth back to Christchurch 😊

L.

I wish we had more time to spend here! It was very fun to walk around :)

R.

Enjoyable walk amongst some truly impressive nature formed massive rocks. Shame No Fly Drone Zone would have been amazing seeing these formations from above.

E.

Amazing place, well worth stopping on way to the coast or even a day trip on its own. Looks cool from the road but you don't get to have the full effect til you actually walk up into the rocks then wow......

V.

Amazing, another must do stop ,the views and rock formations are spectacular

M.

Way better than I expected based on photos! Such a vast area filled with tall standing limestone! Great for a hike too, wish I scheduled more time to explore the area.

M.

Despite the crowd, the place remains absolutely beautiful. Probably not the best climb of your life (limestone quite slippery) but the breath taking landscape makes me come back at least for a day every times I happen to be in the neighbourhood.

L.

Nice place but be careful to climb up the stones ☺️ they are so high and sleepy. Maybe wearing hiking shoes is helpful. Good luck

K.

Cool place to stop for an hour or 2 and explore all of the large boulders up on the hill! It’s a little bit of a walk from the parking lot but it only takes 5 minutes.

J.

Pictures say it all, cool spot with excellent views, via a short track not far from the road either.

S.

A very beautiful place... This we covered on our way to Queenstown.. Good place to hike and feel amidst the nature.

D.

Photos don't do this place justice! The rocks are huge! Pack a picnic and have a lovely day out.

E.

Really cool place! Definitely worth visiting. Great views from the top!

B.

What a wicked place, my boys and I loved exploring all the different rocks

J.

A really good stop off on the way through from or to Arthur's pass. Very interesting natural site. Amazing views on top of the rocks as well.

D.

Great spot for a walk . Stunning views. Fun for the kids climbing amongst the rocks.

f.

Beautiful ❤❤ this place feels a lot like a NZ Stonehenge...quite spiritual and serene

M.

Beautiful place for a small hike with your family. We were lucky to have fresh snow from previous night

N.

Came with my cockatiel. This land is with high vibration energy. Dalai Lama said, this is the birth place of god.

M.

Awesome views.. minus 1 star coz u cant flush the toilet and there's no place to wash your hands.

D.

So stunning the hills.. the mountains...these gigantic rock and boulders. Its breath taking...great place to stretch your legs with a nice hike...not too challenging but enough to get you going .

I.

This place is not only for hiking but for relaxation. The views are both marvelous down at the walkways and up on the hills and rocks. It's perfect if you have a picnic on the rocks with friends and family.

T.

Great place to visit and wonder through the rock formation. It is amazing

E.

You can climb all over the massive limestone boulders -- it's like a giant playground. The two bathrooms at the start of the pathway up to the rocks are pretty clean too.

P.

Indeed very beautiful place but I couldn't remember which scene in LOtR was actually filmed here. Need to go back and do some homework 😂

z.

Nice stop on the route to Arthur's pass. Beautiful view on the top of the rock. windy and a bit cold there.

L.

A good safe walk area if you obey the rules and stay on the ground Toilets available Good picnic area

R.

Pretty sweet rocks and views. Looks like it would be an awesome place for some bouldering/climbing.

B.

Beautiful area of rocks. Great for bouldering or hide and seek.

E.

Nice rocks that's look like a castle, you can hike to hills and have great wiev over castle Hill

A.

Hiking is great here! Moderate because there are steep places to huff and puff up, and you could spend the whole day here walking all the side trails people have bushwhacked in the past.

E.

an unforgettable day at Castle Hill on 11 Aug. 2019 Awesome place for half day trip from Christchurch !

J.

Wow! What an incredible location. This is really one of those places that you just have to visit if you are traveling through Christchurch. I could sit and admire the wonder of God's creation for hours. This is great fun for families to play hide and seek or tag. Just don't get too close to the edge as it can be very dangerous!

M.

Great for short walk and beautiful view and stone formation. 👍👍👍

B.

Nice and unique limestone historic area. Great for walk and sightseeing

B.

Stunning views and rock formations. Fun to explore! Important historical place for Tangata Whenua

B.

Great place for bouldering and also for nice walk around all the rocks.

J.

Short hike is a nice break in a long drive. Easy 30 minutes stroll to photogenic Rocky Alpine sceneru

G.

Many different tracks, free entry, fresh air and fitness you can't really go wrong with a visit to "Castle Hill" a moderate walking track to the top will treat you to some of the greatest scenery the South island has to offer. Even the young ones can easily climb to experience the sensational view!!!

K.

Castle Hill is very scenic, plus it's really fun to walk around the giant boulders.

B.

Unbelievable Rock formations.. From a distance it almost looked like Easter island statues. These limestone rocks are huge, and the their shapes are amazing. Well worth the walk.

S.

Definitely worth a stop. Large rock formations that you can wonder around.

Á.

Jawdropping scene with great small-walks. You can wonder around whichever rock you want to get on top. Of course if you are into climbing you can try few walls with various difficulties. Toilets are nearby the parking area and also next to the rocks

K.

Stunning views. Easy climbs. If you are in to rock climbing, plenty of opportunities.

R.

Amazing to actually see the rocks are huge upclose and the over looking view is just awesome.

D.

What a wonderful wander! The rock formations were phenomenal, unfortunately all are family photos that I don't want to post publicly. Worth a visit.

R.

A great day trip excursion from chch. Awesome 360 degrees view.

L.

Such a wild and fascinating place to explore. So many paths that lead to incredible rock formations and breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and hill country Station. Take a picnic and plan to spend a few hours taking it all in.

H.

Cool stone formations and nice walks or various lengths.

N.

If you're looking to be mystified and thrown into heaps of imaginative wanderings, stop at this place and soak it in. Don't forget the sketchbook and watercolors as there is plenty to paint. The light is best as the sun begins to rise or set.

S.

Gorgeous views with a very quiet and peaceful aura. Would recommend this as a picnic spot

F.

Really beautiful. We didn't hike, just walked out from the carpark, but it was well worth a look.

J.

Beautiful scenery that always surprises in beauty and spiritual atmosphere.

L.

Amazing place to see. Great walk.

C.

Sparks in the park Superb firework display, with live orchestral accompaniment. Great fish and chips from 'British fish and chips (with a kiwi twist)

蔡.

If you pass here must to come Castle hill. It won’t let you down !

B.

Absolutely amazing work the trek up the hill

武.

Nice place if you love playing hide and seek😆 Amazing view from the hill.

E.

Amazing energy, really magical place. Bigger parking place now! Which is good.

J.

Wonderful place to visit. Nice, safe walk. Feels like you're in another world.

M.

Really nice. But in the bright sun classic.

M.

Easy to access, lovely spot to walk about for an hour or two taking in the lovely views.

J.

Short hike is a nice break in a long drive. Easy 30 minutes stroll to photogenic Rocky Alpine sceneru

武.

Nice place if you love playing hide and seek😆 Amazing view from the hill.

r.

Incredible views. Nice walk

S.

Loved this place so quiet and gorgeous scenery

M.

Very nice spot for visit!!

H.

Usualy i dont like turisty spots, but this one its pretty cool. Sunset time, nobody else here

P.

Intersting place with some special vibe. All those limestones and its creations are just like anything seen somewhere else, whole place is so peaceful and worth visiting even if you only had few minutes to spent there. Stones are near the carpark itself so no long, nor difficult hike is required to get there.

S.

Truly amazing place. Enormous stone blocks, curiously shaped stand tall above the grass hills. Triggers your imagination. Must see.

S.

Beautiful place on the way Arthur's pass to Christchurch

H.

Usualy i dont like turisty spots, but this one its pretty cool. Sunset time, nobody else here

M.

Easy to access, lovely spot to walk about for an hour or two taking in the lovely views.

M.

Very impressive and easy access. Could take children there

A.

Must have!! 10 mins walk to the rocks hill. Must be extra careful after rain cause the walk way is so slippery.

B.

If visiting this track in winter , come prepared . Can be slippery to walk with ice/snow all over . Very unique to the South Island .

S.

WOW! Absolutely stunning views. This was highlight of our trip. We spent about 2 hours here. Was worth the walk to the top, nice little hike. Can still have a great view from the bottom if you like. So green and lush compared to central Australia. Nice weather and temperature for hiking. plenty of people here and plenty of parks. Toilets available. No overnight stays.

C.

Currently to upkeep and replanting so some of it was blocked off. Could be very nice when completed

D.

Beautiful. If you do any sort of hiking, it's a very easy and short limb.

J.

Spent a couple of hours in this place. Lots of scenery on a clear day! (Visited in December 2018)

J.

Beautiful area, extremely easy walk to get there. Definitely worth a visit if you're near the area. You can get an hour or two out of the visit.

K.

Absolutely incredible, this place is breathtaking

R.

Yeah, go here, don't drive by. It's a really easy walk with some of the most impressive views.

D.

I'm disabled and can't walk very far, the view is beautiful and a really nice place for a picnic. Great place for walkers.

G.

Take the time and pay this place a visit! We thoroughly enjoyed it!

P.

Beautiful area with plenty of nice views and historic as well.

R.

A truly fantastic must visit location. A large collection of limestone rock formations eroded into an interesting maze of shapes. A good place to take wallpaper worthy photos or just get lost in the large maze of rock formations. A popular tourist destination.

R.

Great walk through the towering boulders. Great if you have kids!

c.

Pretty good bouldering up there would recommend

S.

Loved this place so quiet and gorgeous scenery

D.

Such a beautiful place. Down side is when its busy there is not enough car parking. People end up parking on the highway which is not too safe.

R.

Awesome stop takes only about an hour round trip to walk up and back by the time you have taken photos and looked around

a.

Best place ever absolutely love it here I vist often

J.

Surreal rock formations in stunning scenery!

J.

Great place to boulder and see many cool limestone formations

E.

Amazing stop on the way to Arthur's Pass. Great fit picnic. I would highly recommend!

A.

One of the Narnia movie set. If you pass by its a cool place to visit

N.

Nice limestone rock formation that resembles a cathedral or a giangt skeleton

E.

Not recomended for younger children or people afraid of heights but an amazing area!

S.

Beautiful part of the country and the rock formations are incredible. The kids (and adults!) will love climbing on them and running around the various rocks and the natural obstacles they create.

A.

Enjoyable trial running place

M.

Stunning area with huge amounts of boulders making for a dramatic landscape. World class bouldering area, make sure to read/buy the guide before going as it's hard to work out the routes without it. Thousands of routes ranging from walk ups to V19, there's something for everyone. There's plenty of walks and stunning places to take photographs.

L.

Awesome spot for a picnic and exploring among the rocks

N.

Great location to explore and climbing large rocks.

G.

Curiously sculpted collection of limestone rocks on a small hill, an easy 10 mins walk from the carpark by the road. Well worth stopping for a visit. Similar landscape to where the final battle of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was filmed (the actual location is a few km further north on private land)

J.

This is a great place to take the kids, they love exploring around the rocks and playing hide and seek. Although it's quite busy it's a large site so there's plenty of space to wander round. There's lots of beautiful countryside to see as well, and it's definitely worth stopping off for a few hours.

M.

Very nice spot for visit!!

W.

I really love this place, for me is a good day trip to enjoy the view and do a little bit of exercise.

B.

Great spot to relax. Best on weekday morning

J.

What a delightful place to go and hike on a sunny day! In the winter nearby peaks will be snow-capped making for stunning views all around. The rocks are unique and great for scrambling on, that being said remember that this is a conservation area, so be kind to the natural wonder. Kids and adults of all ages can come out here with a desire to explore and have plenty of adventure! Even those who may not have the physical ability to climb the rocks can still find plenty of easier walking paths that don't require climbing over tall rocks to see the unique limestone! As for a non-sunny day, this is a nice place to visit. The biggest downside is the lack of visibility would hide the views of the spectacular mountain peaks! On a rainy day... don't go. The limestone is SLICK when wet. Some of the limestone is slick while it is *dry*! If you plan to brave the rain take extra caution on any of the limestone faces! There is a public toilet at the carpark and a single drop toilet in the open among the rocks.

F.

Definitely these stones are made by the ancient giants 😏

r.

Incredible views. Nice walk

B.

An absolutely breathtaking spot. Its a great place to explore and revel in the quiet and breath in the fresh air.

A.

How many times I've visited this place and every time was special and beautiful!

G.

Magnificent landscape and only a short walk from the carpark

C.

We noticed the huge stone monoliths from far and parked our car. It seemed beautiful. We didn't hike as were short of time but I wish we had known this place beforehand.

C.

Amazing place. One of my favourite in NZ!! Great for photographers too. Easily accessible to the top of the rocks if your reasonably fit. Well worth the short walk up from the Car park.

D.

Great track during the day and when it gets dark it's a good spot to shoot for the 🌟

A.

Really great place for a visit, incredible scenery. Good to be ready for a short walk, and you will see a lot more if you are willing to climb. Good place to bring kids, as they can run and play and climb all over the rocks. Toilets are avaliable there, but heavily used. No food options for reasonable drive, so either bring food or eat before or after.

M.

Awesome walk with amazing scenery

N.

Great place to visit amazing views

M.

Amazing! Well worth the drive from Christchurch!

J.

A fascinating natural placement of enormous limestone rocks! Take time to sit and ponder, as it has a wonderful peaceful feeling here.

A.

Awesome views! Easy walk!

C.

Great place to explore and scramble about on the rocks

T.

Awesome bouldering area! (One of the best world wide!) From slabs to overhanging boulders, there is everything. Small boulders and high balls. The limestone can be polished, but its often not too bad. Some crimps are really sharp. There are also bolted routes. But be aware that the bolting is different here: there is nothing to clip a quickdraw in. The scenery is awsome as well!

J.

Breathtaking beauty. Such a special place. It has an amazing feeling to it.

S.

Excellent place to take lunch and explore

K.

Good views! Small track up the rocks. Can do picnics too 😉

M.

Really nice. But in the bright sun classic.

V.

This place is amazing and worth a drive up. If you are a rock climber it is Paradise. Nice short walks between the "city" of rocks and plenty of photo ops and it's fun to scramble around on the huge boulders.

燚.

Worthy to risk your life climbing high 🤣😂

T.

Nice walk out to the rocks, saw a number of rock climbers there. Lovely spot to stop and have a rest and look at.

H.

Very beautiful place to take photos

M.

Such a great place to spend a few hours or the whole day. The only reason not a 5 star are the toilets. 2 total for hundreds of us there meant a queue 6 or 7 deep for each. Apart from that, would go again amd take visiting friends

B.

An amazing place, something about Castle Hill just feels special. You can walk all around it and just take in the beautiful views. It's definitely a place you should check out. Pictures just don't do it justice

A.

Very Positve Experience, Beautiful Energy, Most Enjoyed with the Kids, Most Definitely will Go Back One Day and Recommended to Everyone

J.

Jaw dropping beauty and a wonderful way to spend a morning. So many neat nooks and crannies to explore.

H.

Honestly, I had fairly low expectations but I was blown away. The rocks are huge and combine together to create a magical maze/castle like experience that you just want to explore for hours. It’s like the earth made a little geological playground for adults.

J.

Love this place. Some of the best bouldering in NZ.

R.

Prepare to spend some time here. Get yourself lost in this surreal place with the boulders and hills. The backdrop of the mountains is beautiful. Kid friendly but take lots of caution.

T.

Amazing place to look at while driving and even better when you're there. So many pathways to explore. Stunning views. Well worth the trip from Christchurch and great place for a day trip. Take your family and a picnic, toilets are in the carpark and there is a toilet in the hills themselves. Only thing I will say is go on a good weather day as it could get windy up there.

F.

One of the nicest national park/attractions that are directly reachable by car. As you are not bound to the path, you can explore most of the area freely. There is some fenced area, that you'll need special allowance to get into.

V.

Beautiful day and views!

D.

Great place for a ski tour in winter...

M.

One of our favourite places on South Island! Great for climbing you can boulder literally anywhere and you can spend weeks there. Also great just for walk or stopover. Beautiful place!

O.

Amazing place with huge rocks and nice views. Pram/stroller friendly to base of rocks only then it gets very steep, worth taking older kids but watch them at the top due to big heights.

D.

Awe inspiring Huge rock formations of immense natural beauty surrounded by large hills and even larger alpine surroundings. Its almost like a 3D maze too, especially trying to find someone who gets separated from your group... Apparently there are ancestor rock carvings somewhere on the site, but we needed to leave as it can get bitterly cold there so bring your winter woolly clothes and hats even if it looks fine when you set out.

C.

A interesting place to visit. Many big rocks.

W.

Nice stop if you are driving from Christchurch to West coast via Arthur pass.

X.

Think twice before you climb it. The climb and descent is not fun.

V.

Nice place for a stroll. Lots of high vantage areas and interesting rock faces for your practicing your photography skills. Good for an hour or 2 in the area!

K.

Worth a visit if on the highway between Christchurch & Arthurs Pass National Park. A short walk to a hillside full of boulders the size of large buildings. Kind of reminds me of the Flintstones!

J.

probably best to go here during sunset not mid day

K.

This is a great spot to stop on your way to Arthur's Pass from Christchurch. I've been there twice now, once Easter weekend and the second time in the off season. Off season is much better as you don't have to compete with so many other people.

A.

Such beautiful place to visit when you travel through Auther's Pass. Amazing lime Stone formation and the view is amazing. Can spend a good time exploring. Such beautiful photographic spot too. A must visit for adventurers...

Y.

Stunning hiking spot!

M.

Awesome to walk around all the different rock formations! Some of the hills can be quite steep to walk up and/or slippery. Also great for rock climbing with routes for all levels of climbers.

H.

Awesome place to have a good wanders, lots of different rock formations

L.

Great walk. Beautiful lime stone rocks. Spectacular views, really enjoyed Castle Hill. Great for the tourist and even better in winter.

N.

Beautiful location, spectacular scenery, and scrambling round and through the rocks is a blast for kids (and adults) of all ages

I.

Beautiful landscape and unique rock formation

S.

Easy to walk to the base of the hills where lord of the rings was filmed, need a little bit of fitness to explore the rocks. Well worth a visit either way.

K.

Amazing rocks, frozen lake was fun too

T.

Stunning scenery every angle you look

L.

Interesting place. I recommended to visit. ❤

M.

Too many people. Not worth it during peak times of year.

A.

Really spectacular. Majestic

D.

Stopped on the way to the West Coast from Christchurch. Was not originally scheduled, but enjoyed the view. Public restroom and a well maintained track. Good for groups and families too.

G.

Excellent place to explore!

C.

Beautiful walk in a wild location

B.

Clean and beautiful spot. The rock formations are incredible and photos don't do it justice. Easy to access by car and a short walk. Toilets at the carpark were clean

J.

Love this place always looks so deciving with its height but its always a memorable time

B.

Great open space with loads of strange boulders. Large parking area with clean toilets. Prepare to spend a lot of time soaking up the awesomeness of the natural beauty.

J.

Very nice place easy to reach over there and very cool new from the stones. Highly recommend to go and see it

J.

Amazing place with easy access. You can walk among those fantastic boulders and admire the incredible scenery surrounding them. Good parking area with toilets.

p.

Really cool unusual rock formations that you dont see every day. I didnt circumnavigate the entire rock formation but spent maybe 30mins checking out the odd rocks, definately worth a stop for a look. 2 long drop toilets in parking lot.

S.

Damn.. this place is so amazing. I went down there when it was sunny. The scenery is amazing. You can't find any other places like that in other world. Don't forget to fo up to the top of the stone and take a selfie there. Washroom is also available there and it was very clean back then.

R.

Had great time in here. It could be busy with tourist

K.

Great climbing rocks and boulders for beginners to experts. Well kept amazing views. About 1h 45mins drive from Christchurch.

J.

Quite similar with rock forest in yunnan, but this one much better

T.

Great place easy to walk.

J.

Breathtaking, monumental stones. There is stunning view over the valley. Really nice place to take a break. (+ there is toilet)

R.

Beautiful place to stop over and explore. We had so much fun climbing over the rocks. Beautiful views from the top of some of the rocks

D.

Loved it. Spent +/- 1 hour here.

m.

Glad we stopped on the way to Arthur's pass

C.

Breathtaking view from Lake lyndon then Castle Hill.

A.

Amazing and comfortable rock hill

S.

Awesome little walk

S.

Very nice views from the top

S.

Cold once the sun sets. Allow plenty of time for exploring, 1 hour is not enough. Great formations, cool experience.

Z.

Great with kids, lots fun

M.

Great place to wander and explore. Allow an hour or more and take care with children due to the exposed cliffs at some points. Toilets located at the car park.

A.

It's an almost unworldly place to stop and spend some time. If you can, find a quite corner and relax in the accent beauty of the place like many people have before.

b.

Such a stunning place.

R.

Hugh rock formations, awesome to see.😲

E.

A mesmerizing rock formation, easily walkable with families and kids. A must place to visit if you are around or visiting Canterbury / Arthur Pass.

S.

The area is just amazing. There are so many bouldering problems everywhere. You don't need a guide, just walk around and climb anything and everything.

K.

Amazing place to come on a nice day, whether you want to have lunch or play some games with the kids (ideal terrain for hide and seek). The rock formations never stop impressing you!

G.

I wish I could have spent more than half an hour here, but we didn't have the time to. It was so beautiful. Like a big playground.

K.

Great for a quick explore

W.

Great to enjoy on a nice cool summer day!

J.

A mesmerizing place. Makes you wonder how those rocks formed. Very easy to move around. and you'll get impressive views here. You can spend half an hour or the whole day here.

P.

Great place to Potter about and soak up the views

W.

What an awesome picturesque place. The place is a prime location for droning but unfortunately it is not allowed. Regardless I had a lot of fun taking some unbelievable photos

M.

Nice place. A few families came with their kids. The shorter route to top is steep, the longer route is safe for kids.

T.

We spent about a hour and a half here. The rocks are spectacular. There is also abseiling done here

J.

Well worth a visit. We stayed for hours climbing over the rocks. Really cool acoustics - see for yourself!

s.

Astounding rock lime sculptures where you can galevant around last a young mountain goat balancing safely upon new territory. Totally breathtaking discoveries

P.

Fantastic place to visit. It's just mind blowing. You won't find Aslan there but you can pretend to be him. Haha so much fun!

G.

Amazing place to visit with epic rock formations. Very fun in winter to play around in the snow. Carpark and toilet facilities there

P.

Awesome rocks to climb and walk around. Some really great views.

K.

This is natures sculpture. It resamples to Humpy (Karnataka -S-India) This area is 100Kms from Christchurch. Its a best place for a day out. Walking up and down is interesting to all age groups.

A.

Beautiful place. Great for taking pictures, hiking, climbing and breathing fresh air. Visitors from different countries.

L.

Lovely place to visit. Nice and easy family walk. But it's getting a bit too popular these days.

O.

Always an amazing place to go, would recommend. This place goes well with the caving nearby!

J.

Fabulous place! Lot's of places to explore. If it's cloudy when you show up, just wait a bit ;)

D.

Fantastic place to relax and walk around enjoying the beautiful views.

L.

A beautiful stopover near Arthur's Pass and a great spot to do some bouldering

L.

Spectacular scenery both around the rocks of castle hill and beyond. Well worth stopping over on the trip to Christchurch from Arthur's Pass

F.

Beautifully designed by nature

K.

Castle hill NEVER fails. Today we had fun playing American football and sliding down on the grass!

R.

Stunning views and worn limestone that you play guess what it looks like. Great for a family visit. Luckily a lovely sunny day

J.

Not only the geology of the rocks worth the stop, the spectacular scenery along the State Highway 73 from the Castle Hill is just too attractive to be missed. We had fun here.

M.

A playground for adults! Definitely recommend stopping by and allotting at least an hour to wonder around and climb all the limestone formations.

F.

Special place. Beautiful and surprisingly extensive limestone formations. One of the best such we've seen in New Zealand.

A.

Free entry to an adults playground!

T.

Just a random but awesome place to check out!

M.

Had the pleasure of beeing there when a free guided tour started. Very interesting and informative. Loved it!

S.

Make sure you wear trainers, little hard to climb up at times, but really good views!

S.

Diffently worth pulling over for what a view

S.

Awesome place to explore! Truly unique and astounding views within and of the mountains around. Bring your cameras.

A.

Surreal and fantastic! A great place to aimlessly rove around and explore. Caves, strange shapes and shadows and tiny microhabitats await the observant. Bring a camera.

C.

Felt like really being in Lord of the Rings

F.

Definitely worth a stop on the way to the west coast!

i.

A bit out of the way if you aren't headed through Arthur's Pass but the scenery around and on the way is beautiful.

M.

Lovely place to enjoy the sun and some beginners climbing maybe some slips but good for a small hiking

M.

Castle Hill is such a beautiful place! Definitely go there, even better at sunset. A lot of climbers and boulders also.

T.

Excellent vistas from above. There was one very frendly kea up there which almost got away with my 20$. Almost died of laughter while my sister tried to get my money back.

N.

Great place to go for a walk, suitable for kids too. Toilets at entrance and 1 or 2 up in the hills too.

r.

Nice area great in the winter

c.

Amazing rock formations. Not as much for sport climbing but more bouldering problems than you would ever need.

S.

Spectacular location. The climbing is very nuanced partly due to the slickness of the rock.

E.

Worth a look if driving past. We were there about 45 mins.

p.

Interesting place for a hike and to take great photos.dont hesitate to escalate some of the boulders for an even better perspective

A.

The massive and amazing sandstone in this location is just mesmerising. Shows how big the rocks can be and its beauty. Totally love it 👌👍

a.

Nature hills made up of lime stone. nice place to visit. Winter is more beautiful.

n.

Great place kids love it here in summer the bouldering is great in winter bring your toboggan fab family place

M.

All that was promised and more. Get to Castle Hill now.

A.

Iconic place in Arthur's Pass! Great place for picnic and stargazing. Enjoy the wonder of limestone formations!!

H.

Great place not far from Christchurch. On the way you have many nice spots worth checking as well.

T.

Good experience!

R.

Awesome views, great climb and interesting formations. Letterbox found along with several painted stones!

V.

Beautiful...must visit place...

E.

Great place to stop off for a quick jaunt up the hillside. The views are unworldly, and it's a film site for Lord of the rings.

M.

Wow! A natural wonder...and a natural adventure playground for the kids. Well worth a stop.

B.

Natural beauty of New Zealand, dazzling in the snow! Great views supplied with the adventurous challenge of exploring in the snow

J.

Wife and I stopped here while driving from Christchurch to Franz Josef on our honeymoon and it was a great rest stop with picturesque views. Already suggested to other friends that they stop by.

R.

Terrain was spectacular with its unique boulders that varies in sizes. Definitely worth a visit to Narnia

D.

Majestic rocks with stunning views in all directions, small walk from car park

U.

Amazingly beautiful place. Weather can change quickly. Please take your camera with you.

K.

Fascinating natural landscape.

S.

Beautiful energy and good moderate walking track leads to stupendous views!

J.

This place is definitely worth stopping at for a wander around the magnificent land formations which dwarf everything and everyone with their colossal size.

M.

Great place for a break in your with walk and great views.

D.

Good toilet stop on the Arthur's Pass route. Landmark n I think was the set scene in one of the Lord of the Rings movies.

C.

Really scenic spot. Didn't explore very far into the boulders because the bumble bees had it in for me and were making me nervous.

R.

Beautiful views and nice to strenuous hikes available here.

S.

Amazing place , but you should really be careful . A lot of danger

G.

Cannot fly my baby drone

E.

One of NZ's perfect places. Visiting here in 2003 helped convince me to move to NZ.

T.

Very neat place to stretch your legs and marvel at these huge boulders.

w.

Was a cool place, if you want to stop on your way for a journey go grab one of their pizzas was very nice

C.

Amazing energy

J.

Amazing place, better spend a whole day hiking there.

d.

Pretty scenic but can be slippery due to rain and very windy at times.

P.

An amazing place to visit free of charge and a short walk to incredible rock formations

N.

Amazing place to clamber about. Take care, though, there are some very high spots!

A.

Amazing place and there is no entry fee. Gorgeous views and the kids loved it

M.

Magnificent view especially during snow season. Its like stepping into a postcard!

R.

Beautiful and impressive rock formations and a fine hike!

C.

Awesome natural feature. Accessible to everyone. Must stop for anyone travelling the country

Y.

Beautiful view!!!!

F.

Difficult to take a bad photo here. Group of friends enjoyed going in and around exploring the rock formations.

J.

Stunning views! Easy walk to get to for all ages. It was sick dude!

L.

Stop feeling entitled. Don't fly drones, don't mark the rocks. Climb responsibly and enjoy this special place 😀

C.

Always a great place to climb boulders and entertain the kids. Best view from the top!

M.

Absolutely stunning scenery! A must see attraction.

Y.

Very nice place with weirdly natural rock formations that look prehistoric manmade.

A.

Huge rocks just awesome views, cool photo ops. Place was in the Narnia movies

S.

Driven past often but never got close until this time. Amazing natural rock formations.

J.

Amazing rocks to climb!

F.

Awesome place. Not much service but nature is the thing to see there!

C.

The views from the top are amazing

F.

We were on our way to the west coast when we saw this beautiful site. Very picturesque.

E.

Amazing place. It looks like other planet landscapes

D.

When you need to get out of the city, this is one of those places to go and play

I.

A unique place with rock formations that cannot be found anywhere else. A sight that is a must see.

M.

A great place to visit to get out and about for some fresh air!

G.

Popular spot we took the Cubs there and had a play round

M.

Great fun, excellent place to film/take photos

H.

Nice easy walk, beautiful scenary. Free entrance

M.

Amazing mountain views. Hours of fun exploring.

J.

Great place for kids, picnics, wandering. Lovely views.

S.

Worth a visit and walk around. Beautiful place.

s.

Cool place to visit. Take a picnic, spend a few hours

M.

Awesome area to explore and take photos. We LOVED it!

t.

So pretty breath taking Appsolutely stunning.

A.

Amazing boulders, very impressive & well worth a visit !

H.

Wonderful views and great geological features.

S.

Very cool and unusual rocks

P.

Impressive formations easy distance from road. Beautiful scenery

T.

Plenty to explore here you can easily spend a few hours

E.

Lovely walk around amazing rocks.

R.

Beautiful!!! Splendid climbing area as well.

S.

Amazing time. Spent a long time taking pictures at the location. Do take the time to slowly enjoy the place.

P.

Great natural phenomenon. Worth a stop and hike to see them up close

A.

Highly recommend.

Q.

Great place to Chill, explore, have a picnic, do some climbing.

I.

Great place for walks. Great views

R.

Fantastic view

J.

Amazing views. Nice wee walk to be had by all ages.

A.

Really interesting place, even if you're not climbing

G.

Great scenery and views.

A.

Very nice place for a short hike.

P.

Nice look around of the rocks, easy access to the rocks

J.

A natural wonder, pick this on your travel list, must do when in nz...

J.

Wow, this place is stunning. Interesting stone formations and a good place for boulders.

M.

Awesome!

W.

Amazing stone formations. Slippery when raining, be cautious on top of the hill.

M.

Amazing to look at the awesome weathered rocks. Seems otherworldly.

F.

Just beautiful!

A.

Gorgeous vistas and a nice little walk.

A.

Amazing place. Loved it and great exercise.

H.

Great sight and good walk up the hill...

C.

Looks OK on pictures but is breathtaking in reality! Go there! ;)

M.

The boulder field was a highlight of the trip. Apparently the Dali Lama is a fan too.

E.

A really beautiful piece of nature that is a must see!

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