Canterbury · Hiking

Big Ben Route

3.5 mi
round trip: 3,579 ft
climb: 5,068 ft
high point: Out and back
route

Big Ben Route is an out-and-back trail, 3.5 miles each way (7.0 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand. It runs between about 2,100 ft and 5,070 ft above sea level, with roughly 3,270 ft of climbing one way. The nearest town is Whitecliffs, about 12 miles west of the trailhead. Peaks within about 3 miles include Big Ben and Haycock. Distances, elevations and the route shape here come from OpenStreetMap and the Copernicus 90 m elevation model. Trails, access rules and conditions change, so check locally before you go.

Nearby · Benmore Track · Starvation Gully Route · Mount Somers Summit Track

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Benmore Track

~12 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 2.1 miles each way (4.1 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Starvation Gully Route

~13 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 0.7 miles each way (1.4 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mount Somers Summit Track

~37 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 1.2 miles each way (2.4 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

High Peak Road

~14 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 5.3 miles each way (11 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Kowai River Track

~18 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 3.0 miles each way (6.1 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Photo: Mrastron, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rakaia Gorge Track

~14 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 2.8 miles each way (5.7 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Scotts Saddle Track

~22 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 2.1 miles each way (4.2 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Opuke Track

~23 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 0.4 miles each way (0.8 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

animal trail

~22 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 0.3 miles each way (0.7 miles round trip) in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Castle Hill Peak Track

~16 min drive

A 1.9-mile point-to-point route in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Also worth it near here

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Ben More

~7 min drive

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Benmore Hut

~9 min drive

Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Trig 'M'

~11 min drive

Armchair Waterfall

~12 min drive

Photo: Schwede66, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rakaia Gorge Camping Ground

~14 min drive

Conditions and forecast

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at Big Ben Route for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.