Gibbs Hill, Pōhara
Gibbs Hill (405m) is a short hike which starts 20 minutes from Pōhara in the Golden Bay (Mohua) region of South Island’s Tasman District. It shares Wainui trailhead with the northern end of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, and as such is within Abel Tasman National Park. I hiked it as a day-alternative to the multi-day Coast Track, and because I wanted to gain more elevation than the Coast Track offers.
Time
The DOC signboard at Wainui trailhead estimates 1 hour 30 minutes one-way to Gibbs Hill.
Including breaks, the entire hike took me around 3 hours 15 minutes. Specific portions with minimal breaks:
30 minutes from the trailhead to the Gibbs turnoff from Wainui-Whariwharangi Track
35 minutes from the Gibbs turnoff to Gibbs Hill summit
Route
Screenshots of the NZ topographic map are licensed as CC BY 4.0 by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).
Wainui Bay parking lot is the northern endpoint of the Abel Tasman Coast Track as well as the starting point for this hike. DOC says that it’s 9km return from Wainui to the top of Gibbs Hill and back.
The entire Abel Tasman portion of the track is wide and in good condition. As it reaches the ridge, the Gibbs turnoff is to the right. There is a bench with a fine view.
The Gibbs track starts out somewhat narrower and grassier than the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. It remains in good condition until about 8 minutes before the summit of Gibbs Hill. Here the track steepens and becomes somewhat rough. At the high point of the Gibbs track is a turnoff, through the bushes to the left, on an even narrower impact track. It took one minute from here to the summit.
The Gibbs track has less of a breeze, and perhaps for this reason, I found that there were a lot more flying insects about. I put on Okarito insect repellent at this point, without stopping to check whether any of the insects were sandflies.
There were also a few wekas, and three calm, well-groomed horses across from the parking lot.
If 1 is an easy track, and 4 is using hands and feet on exposed rocks, I give the Gibbs Track a 2 at worst, but mostly a 1, and this portion of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track a 1.
The hill is named for British settler and politician William Gibbs.
Hunting
Other pages about this hike
Pages about the Abel Tasman Northern Circuit (Wainui to Whariwharangi to Tōtaranui to Gibbs Hill to Wainui, or vice versa)
from Wainui
from Tōtaranui
Pages about other hikes involving Gibbs Hill
Nearby hikes
Cobb Reservoir, Kahurangi National Park