Woolshed Creek Picnic Area, Mt Somers

 Outdoor opportunities at Woolshed Creek, Mt Somers

I recently visited Woolshed Creek car park and picnic area on my way to Mt Somers and Woolshed Creek Hut. Woolshed Creek is one of two access points to the network of tracks around Mt Somers and has a variety of short and longer tracks for the tramper, trail runner and weekend walker.

Woolshed Creek car-park, Mt Somers, Hakatere Conservation Park

Woolshed Creek is about 130 km's south west of Christchurch and inland from Ashburton and it takes about 1.5 hours to drive there. Once at Mt Somers you take the Ashburton Gorge Road towards Hakatere for 10 kilometers and then turn down Jig Road the sign posted turn off to Woolshed Creek. 

Jig Road and the track to Woolshed Creek car-park

Woolshed Creek car-park, Mt Somers, Hakatere Conservation Park

Woolshed Creek runs alongside the car-park and is a fine destination in its own right with a clear creek with pools, rock scrambles and a sandy stream bed that is clean, safe and warm over the summer months. 

Track map for the area around Woolshed Creek, Mt Somers

There are some grass areas where you could have a picnic and regenerating beech forest to sit under and walk through. There are toilets you can use and a water source although the water must be boiled or treated before use. 

Note:the car-park is not a camp site so over night camping is not allowed although as it is DOC land you can camp 200 meters away from any track if you can find a suitable location. 

Start of Miners Track to Blackburn Mine and Woolshed Creek Hut

You can cross over the Woolshed Creek bridge and enter a thick stand of native beech trees...there is a very nice short nature walk on this side of the creek which runs alongside the creek for some distance. 

Woolshed Creek bridge to Rhyolite Track, Mt Somers, Sharplin Falls car-park and Woolshed Creek Hut

This whole area is part of the Mt Somers/Hakatere Conservation Parks and a really interesting destination to take the kids for an easy introduction to the type of terrain and forest you find along the edge of the Canterbury Foothills.

The bridge over Woolshed Creek

Woolshed Creek....view north up the creek

Woolshed Creek: view south down the creek

There is an absolute wealth of tramping to be done in the area from gentle strolls to hard core hill climbing. Here is a complete list of destinations from the Woolshed Creek car-park...all of these are walking times and are one way unless noted as a return trip.  

On the southern bank you can access:

Miners Track to the start of the Blackburn Incline, 40 minutes return
Miners Track to the old Blackburn Mine site, 1-1.5 hours
Miners Track to Woolshed Creek Hut 3-4 hours
Sidewinder Track Circuit to Blackburn Mine site, return to car-park 2.5-3 hours

Information board at the start of the Blackburn Incline

On the northern bank, over the Woolshed Creek bridge you can access;

Rhyolite Track to Mt Somers Track, 1 hour
Rhyolite Track to Woolshed Creek Hut 3.5 hours
Rhyolite Track & Mt Somers Track to Mt Somers Summit 5 hours
Rhyolite Track & Mt Somers Track to Sharplin Falls car-park 6 hours
Ryolite Track/Mt Somers/Pinnacles Track to Pinnacles Hut 9 hours
Woolshed Creek Nature Walk 1 hour return

Looking to the Woolshed Creek car-park from the bridge

If you are looking for a new place to visit or searching for new tramping locations then put a trip to Woolshed Creek and the Mt Somers area at the top of your list.