Dog-Friendly Long Weekend in Lake Ohau

Lake Ohau rarely makes it on a tourist's whirlwind itinerary of New Zealand. That's a good thing because it's full of hidden gems for locals, especially those with dogs.

Sitting a little over 20 kilometres off State Highway 8, Lake Ohau is perched as a hidden haven. Lake Tekapo and Pukaki capture the roadtripper's eye with their beautiful blue pools, easy access, and Aoraki views - so why would you drive out of your way to see another?

We look for a few things when picking where to spend long weekends - dog-friendly-ness, weather, and what the camping spot to hikes ratio is. Lake Ohau ticked all our boxes, so we loaded up Goldie, our ‘95 Toyota Hiace Super Custom, and headed out for her first camping adventure.

We were excited to enjoy the Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve from her three sunroofs, test out the air mattress on plush seats, and see how Trapper enjoyed his extra legroom. We packed in our camping boxes and necessary provisions - craft beer and a wheel of brie - and set off.

Christchurch to Lake Middleton Campsite took four hours, a quick journey for a Thursday evening. We weren’t self-contained at the time of this trip, so we stayed at a designated campsite. It’s opposite Lake Ohau on a smaller lake that allows fishing, boats, jet skis, and more importantly, dogs. Flush toilets and water for $8 per person/night is a steal for this spacious DOC space. It was about half full and there was plenty of space for us to park and set up a table each night while not feeling cramped. We fell asleep watching the aforementioned stars twinkling in the night sky.

Greta Track

We tackled Greta Tracka the first morning, a 16km loop that winds up a defunct 4WD track to near the summit of Ben Ohau/Ruataniwha Peak. The car park at the southern bank of Greta stream is where you’ll begin, passing an old Munster hut, and ascending gradually through some native bush. Then you’ll pop out into a fully exposed chunk of rocky scree. Tough ascents at times, but otherwise the track is wide and easy to follow.

The views in every direction are stunning and worth stopping to take them in. Lake Ohau is flanked by snow-capped mountains, and across the lake you can make out the slopes of Ohau Snow Field. Lucky for us, we stopped many times to catch our breath and give Trapper a break. We also saw many Southern Alps lizards scurrying along, too, so be sure to keep an eye out for those guys. When we reached the highest point, we opted against the turnoff to the summit, as the wind was already pretty strong and we were satisfied with the views.

After the uphill, the descent was a welcome treat. Many New Zealand summit descents are tough on the knees, but not this gradual one. We crossed over a ridgeline and lowered into a tussock valley filled with manuka, totora, and beech. After the barren yellows and blues of the mountainside, the lush green valley was a sight to see! In the valley, the track cuts through Greta stream several times, so prepare for wet feet. Some crossings are a simple jump to the other side, while others require a barefoot dip in the icy cold water. I’m irrationally terrified of river crossings and I struggle with even the smallest ones, so I felt very accomplished with my six successful crosses.

The end of the track winds up once more above the stream and dumps out onto the road. From here the track turns into the road for a few hundred metres back to the car park. After piling into Goldie, we celebrated with a pint at the Ministry of Works in Twizel. We only opted for liquid treats, but I can confirm from previous visits that they do a yummy gluten-free pizza as well.

Ahuriri Conservation Park

Our second day called for some resting and exploring. We ventured further south to Ahuriri Conservation Park, another area that kept popping up under "dog-friendly" walks in DOC. Only a half-hour drive south from Ohau, we mapped out a few walks and headed on our way.

Once in the park, a gravel road winds lazily past exclusive resorts, fly fishing spots, and breathtaking views of the snowcapped mountains. Our intention was to walk the Canyon Creek Track, but we abandoned mission after a landslip had left the dirt road questionably passable. No fear, we were hot and sweaty anyway so a dip in the river sounded more suitable. The hours got away from us next to the river, and our adventurous plans were dashed. I’m looking forward to heading back here as soon as possible to explore more.

On the way back to camp we detoured to Omarama Clay Cliffs. A $5 admission fee gets you access to a short walk into tall, spiralling pinnacles of gravel and silt, formed millennials ago by the flow of glaciers. The views reminded me of a mixture of Utah’s Bryce Canyon hoodoos and South Dakota’s Badlands, a rare comparison for New Zealand. The stark contrast in the landscape for South Canterbury was well worth the detour.

We stopped at the Ohau Lodge, also dog friendly, for a local brew before settling into our campsite for the night. Camp tacos and chocolate went down a treat after a sun-kissed day.

Freehold Creek Track

The next day we meandered down the Freehold Creek Track, a 6km one-way track through native mistletoes and beech. The trailhead is off Lake Ohau road, a few minutes northwest from Lake Middleton campsite. The track crosses Freehold creek and winds up to subalpine scrub, scree, and tussock country. An easier walk, this one would be great for children and those wanting to take in views without a tough ascent.

On our last day, I convinced CJ to catch the sunrise in exchange for a cooked breakfast in Twizel. We awoke at 6am and shot over to a pull-off at the foot of the lake to snap some photos. The morning air was frigid, but well worth it. Twizel's breakfast ended up a disappointment, which required a compromise of a Fairlie pie on our ride home.

The early start meant we were home before noon, leaving plenty of time to unload and clean Goldie before dinner. The weekend was successful, and I'm glad we went that bit further to see new sights. With efficient driving and planning, the trip didn't seem long at all, plus once you hit Geraldine, the trip south is beautiful. Finding a place to legally camp and tramp with dogs seems to be a tall order in New Zealand, but Lake Ohau and Ahuriri ticked all the boxes.

Getting there - Christchurch to Lake Ohau, 4 hour drive

Stops along the way: Running Duck Cafe - Geraldine, Fairlie Bakeshop - Fairlie, Ministry of Works - Twizel

Campsite - Lake Middleton DOC Campsite, $8pp/pn

Tramps/Walks/Hikes -

Greta Track- 16km loop, advanced

Freehold Creek Track - 6km out and back

Dog Friendly - yes! All of the above, plus many more walks, a few campsites, and pubs. Be sure to check the DOC site or call the local office to make sure the walk you want to do allows dogs.