Last updated October 2026
Eight separate tracks, from coastal paths beside the shingle beach to creekside trails and the old quarry railway in Centennial Park, link up to make the Timaru Circuit Trail, a circuit of Timaru’s walking and cycling tracks.
Venture Timaru gives it as 25 to 30 km and about 1 hour 40 minutes by bike, graded easy to medium, and the council’s trail guide allows about 7 hours on foot.
You can ride the whole circuit in one go or pick off single sections. The circuit takes in Dashing Rocks and Caroline Bay on the coast, South Beach and Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point, the Otipua Wetlands, Saltwater Creek, Otipua Creek and Centennial Park.
Know Before You Go
- Route
- Circuit linking eight Timaru tracks, ridden end to end or in sections
- Length
- 25 to 30 km
- Riding time
- About 1 hr 40 min for the full circuit
- Walking time
- About 7 hr (Timaru District Council trail guide, May 2025)
- Grade
- Easy to medium
- Start
- Any of the eight tracks; ride the full circuit or a section
- Maps
- Circuit PDF map and the free Timaru Trails app (Venture Timaru)
- Managed by
- Timaru District Council tracks, promoted by Venture Timaru
- Status
- Check Timaru District Council’s walking and cycling pages for current closures before you ride
More About Timaru Circuit Trail
The circuit is less a single trail than a way of joining Timaru’s existing walking and cycling tracks into one ride. Venture Timaru lists the eight tracks as Dashing Rocks Coastal Track, Caroline Bay Track, the South Beach Coastal Track, Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point, the Otipua Wetlands Track, Saltwater Creek Track, Otipua Creek Track and Centennial Park.
Part of the riding is coastal, beside a shingle beach where the council says fishing boats, shipping and yachts can usually be seen; the rest follows creeks and wetlands past paddocks and native plantings, then rises on gradual inclines through the 65 ha Centennial Park.
Because each track works on its own, riders can choose a short easy piece, such as the 1.5 km Otipua Creek walkway, or string the whole lot together for the full 25 to 30 km.
Sections of the Circuit
The coast: South Beach and the harbour
The council’s South Beach Coastal Track runs from the Patiti Point car park to Stuart Street on a wide, well-made track formed on the edge of a shingle beach. The council allows about 20 minutes and notes that it is good for cycling. Look out for banded dotterels, South Island pied oystercatchers and white-fronted terns.
Saltwater Creek and Otipua Creek
Saltwater Creek Track starts on King Street (SH1), near the bridge. Venture Timaru gives 2.2 km on well-formed, mostly flat gravel, about 30 minutes, suitable for wheelchairs, with dogs on a lead.
Across Coonoor Road, the Otipua Creek walkway carries on for 1.5 km past paddocks with farm animals, native plantings and the TBHS sports fields; the council lists it as a walking and cycling trail with dogs on a lead, and birds include fantails (piwakawaka), black scaup and mallards.
Centennial Park
Otipua Creek leads north to the BMX track at the start of Centennial Park. The council gives the park’s trail as 6 km, about 90 minutes, easy with gradual inclines, on wheelchair-accessible shared paths, with separate graded mountain bike tracks, a BMX and MTB skills track at one end and a pump track for all ages at the other.
The track follows an old railway line that carried basalt from the quarries to the harbour for the breakwater, and the lake area has parking, a sheltered picnic area, barbecues, playgrounds and toilets.
Planning the Ride
Venture Timaru publishes a PDF map of the full circuit and recommends the free Timaru Trails app, which follows the circuit and the district’s other tracks. Parts of the circuit are shared with walkers and dog walkers, and Centennial Park’s upper track is steeper and more rugged than the lower one, so choose the lower track for an easier ride.
Trusted Sources
Venture Timaru: Timaru Circuit Trail: the circuit, its eight tracks, the PDF map and the Timaru Trails app.
Timaru District Council: Walking and cycling: the council’s page for each track, including Centennial Park, Otipua Creek and the South Beach Coastal Track.
Timaru District Walk and Bike Trail Guide (PDF): the council’s district guide with times and grades.
Timaru Circuit Trail FAQs
How long is the Timaru Circuit Trail?
Venture Timaru gives 25 to 30 km for the full circuit.
How long does it take to ride?
About 1 hour 40 minutes by bike. The council’s trail guide allows about 7 hours on foot.
How hard is it?
Venture Timaru grades it easy to medium. The council describes Centennial Park as easy with gradual inclines, with a steeper, more rugged upper track and a gentler lower one.
Which tracks make up the circuit?
Dashing Rocks, Caroline Bay, the South Beach Coastal Track, Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point, the Otipua Wetlands, Saltwater Creek, Otipua Creek and Centennial Park.
Do I have to ride the whole circuit?
No. Venture Timaru says you can complete it end to end or choose individual sections.
Are dogs allowed?
On the Saltwater Creek and Otipua Creek tracks dogs must be on a lead, and the council says dogs are permitted in Centennial Park.
Is there a map?
Yes. Venture Timaru has a PDF map of the circuit and the free Timaru Trails app.
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