Tunnel Terrace Walk
Old gold-mining tunnels, incredibly green West Coast forest, glowworm threads and the first wētā we finally managed to find.
Tunnel No. 1 remains closed because of rockfall. No. 2 is about 100 metres east along the road.
One of our favourite short walks on the West Coast.
We had just crossed the South Island through Arthur's Pass, and Tunnel Terrace was our first real stop once we reached the West Coast.
Walking through the old tunnels was just plain fun. Some were wider and taller, while others narrowed down or changed shape as we made our way through them.
Then the track would suddenly open into incredibly green forest. Huge ferns crowded the trail, the trees were constantly dripping, and everything seemed wet, mossy and alive.
A lot packed into 700 metres.
The official walk is short and easy. Our family managed to make it much longer by stopping to investigate almost everything.
About 15 km north of Hokitika according to DOC.
DOC's current published time.
Current West Coast NZ listing.
West Coast NZ currently lists the walk as easy.
Through historic gold workings and tail-race tunnels.
Stones, stairs, boardwalks and wet tunnel sections.
Or a flashlight, if your Canadian vocabulary is still refusing to cooperate.
Tunnels, forest, mining history, glowworms and little discoveries.
Tunnel No. 1, the tunnel closest to the car park, remains closed because of rockfall. DOC currently directs walkers to begin at Tunnel No. 2, approximately 100 metres east along the road. This is also the detour we used during our visit.
The walk gets interesting almost immediately.
The first entrance we reached was closed from rockfall, so we doubled back and walked along the road to the open entrance.
Some passages were tall enough to walk comfortably through. Others narrowed down or changed shape.
The floors could be damp, with little puddles and wet stones underfoot.
The tunnels were the part we kept wanting more of.
You would disappear into the dark, follow the old passage through the hill, then emerge into dripping forest again.
Dark passage. Green opening. Then another tunnel.
The constant change between tunnel and forest made this tiny loop feel like much more of an adventure.
These are old mining tunnels, not natural caves.
DOC identifies the entry and exit points as miners' tail-race tunnels within historic gold workings.
Goldsborough was once a thriving mining settlement. The surrounding area still contains mining tunnels, dams, water races, sluice faces and tailings from that period.
The wider Goldsborough, Stafford and Waimea area became heavily worked during the West Coast gold rush.
Water races, drainage and tail-race tunnels helped miners work the gold-bearing ground.
DOC warns that historic mine shafts remain scattered through the surrounding bush.
The forest was incredible from every direction.
Huge fern fronds stretched overhead, while moss and smaller plants covered almost everything closer to the ground.
We could see long glowworm threads hanging from the ceiling.
New Zealand glowworms are the larval stage of a type of fungus gnat. They create sticky silk threads and use their glow to attract small flying insects.
Te Ara notes that the threads can become much longer in caves than in exposed forest because there is no wind to tangle them.
Cave-like environments provide the still, sheltered conditions where the hanging threads can remain intact.
We could clearly see long hanging threads inside the darker passages.
Our first wētā.
We had been trying to find one for ages. Tunnel Terrace finally changed that.
Finding one was fascinating. Learning that the one beside Kristine could jump was slightly more educational than she had requested.
Is Tunnel Terrace good for families?
For our family, absolutely. It was easy enough to explore comfortably, but interesting enough that it never felt like just a short loop.
Easy for us
Straightforward formed track with some stairs.
Stones + boards
Pebbles, stone, boardwalks and damp tunnel floors.
Expect puddles
After plenty of rain, we would expect wetter conditions.
Bring one
Some passages get properly dark.
Lots to investigate
Tunnels, mushrooms, glowworms and mining history kept us stopping.
We had a blast
One of our favourite short walks of the trip.
The first tunnel is currently closed.
DOC directs walkers to Tunnel No. 2, about 100 metres east along the road.
Tunnel No. 1 remains closed because of rockfall.
Historic mine shafts remain scattered through the surrounding bush.
The darker passages are considerably easier to explore with a proper light.
We found wet stones, puddles and damp tunnel floors during our visit.
Official track information rechecked 7 September 2026.
Absolutely.
The tunnels, dripping fern forest, glowworms and finally finding our first wētā made this one of our favourite short walks on the West Coast.
Tunnel Terrace Walk FAQ
How long is Tunnel Terrace Walk?
Is Tunnel No. 1 open?
Do you need a torch?
Is Tunnel Terrace suitable for kids?
Why are there tunnels here?
Are there glowworms at Tunnel Terrace?
What are New Zealand glowworms?
Where does Tunnel Terrace Walk start?
Track time, location, current tunnel closure, mining information and safety guidance were checked against current DOC information. Distance and regional difficulty information were checked with West Coast NZ. Glowworm biology was checked with Te Ara. Our comments about tunnel conditions, the forest, glowworms, wētā and our family experience come from our own visit.