Inwood Lookout
Inwood Lookout is a point on the Gordon Range, south of Belgrove, so-named because of the fire lookout built to watch over Golden Downs Forest. The road to the lookout, Wai-iti Road, is physically demanding and offers a great hill climb for mountain bikers. The lookout borders Mount Richmond Forest Park and is a starting point for climbing Gordon’s Knob, and tramping to Hunters Hut. Inwood Lookout and nearby Inwood Saddle are named after Harold Richard Seymour Inwood, who purchased land on the western side of the ridge in 1910.
| Details | |
| Length | 8.7 km one way to lookout (Wai-iti Rd); 13 km return to Gordon’s Knob from lookout; 7.9 km one way lookout to Hunters Hut |
| Trail Type | 4WD road |
| Physical Difficulty | Hard |
| Uses | MTB |
| Start Elevation | 340 m |
| Finish Elevation | 1051 m |
45 min from Nelson
Inwood Lookout is located at the end of Wai-iti Rd, access to which is controlled by forestry company OneFortyOne.
From Nelson, head south along State Highway 6. Just past Belgrove, turn left onto Wai-iti Valley Rd, the main road from Nelson to St Arnaud. The signposted left-hand turnoff onto Wai-iti Rd is approximately 2 minutes’ drive past the Eighty Eight Valley Rd turnoff.
A 4WD vehicle is recommended for Wai-iti Rd.
Wai-iti Road heads beneath power pylons, then climbs steeply northwards up the side of the ridge to 750 m elevation, and turns south, heading straight along the top of the ridge and steepening again before reaching the lookout. Be cautious of 4WD vehicles and motorbikes coming up and down the road.
The fire lookout is located on an open grass flat. It is easy to see why this position was selected for the lookout; there are stunning views west to Mt Owen and north toward Tasman Bay, with Golden Downs Forest taking up much of the field of view. The lookout, constructed in 1970, is New Zealand’s highest. The site is also used as a launch point for hang-gliders.
The road end at Inwood Lookout is a starting point for tramps into Mount Richmond Forest Park, particularly circuits of Red Hill and Wairoa Valley. A tramping track heads south along the ridge from the lookout, eventually linking up with Te Araroa Trail near Hunters Hut. Inwood Lookout provides the most straightforward access to Gordon’s Knob (1592 m).
Sources and further reading
1. Ward, J., & Cooper, D. (2004). Golden Downs Forest, Nelson, 1927-2004: Coronation Forest 50th Anniversary Edition, 1954-2004.