Conical Hill Walk

Originally covered in tussock the walk now climbs through mature exotic plantations of Lawson's cypress, Japanese cypress, giant fir, Atlantic cedar and laburnum – all planted around 1910.

Arguably the town’s most popular short walk Conical Hill was developed as a trail to reach the 550m summit and the magnificent panorama of the Hanmer Basin.

The zig zag trail is spacious and well graded making it negotiable by almost anyone who has the time to wander up through the pines covering the hillside, these include; western hemlock, Lawson’s Cypress, Japanese cypresses, giant fir, Atlas cedar, and laburnum (all planted around 1910).

There is a shelter at the summit with picnic tables nearby where you can rest and really absorb the view. A plaque near the shelter commemorates Duncan Rutherford who helped develop the Hanmer basin.