Distance: 6.8 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy terrain
Altitude: 1m to 66m. Gain: 142m. Loss: 109m . Gradient: 2 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

The south coast track follows the coastline from Track Burn to the roadend at the Rarakau carpark. For the 1st 4km there is the option of a rough 4wd track or walking on the flat sandy beach if tide permits. At the Waikau RIver you must rejoin the 4WD track, running behind some baches, crossing the river on an impressive bridge, then climbing steeply up the bluffs to the flat terraces above via 130 steps. The final 2km to the carpark is a pleasant winding gravelled / boardwalked track through lush native bush.

All rivers / streams are bridged

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Rarakau carpark, the South coast track winds for 2km through lush native bush as an easy gravelled / boardwalked walkway before descending steeply to the shoreline via 130 steps. A brief section of old 4WD track takes you over the Waikoau River on a bridge and past some private baches. The next 3km can be travelled either on the 4WD tracl or along the broad sandy beach. If you take the latter, look out for doc orange triangles marking the point that you must return to the track 500m short of Track Burn. The 4WD track continues through native bush back from the beach to reach the signposted track junction just prior to Track Burn, where the route to Teal Bay via The Hump splits off the South Coast Track.

All rivers / streams are bridged

1.5-3 hrs