Take advantage of Canterbury’s beauty by exploring our regional parks for walking, swimming, boating, fishing, gamebird hunting, motocross, mountain biking, bird watching, horse riding and more.

Environment Canterbury is responsible for three parks across the region and we want you to enjoy these diverse natural landscapes. Our regional parks can be found on the shores of Lake Tekapo and the banks of the Waimakariri and Ashley Rakahuri Rivers.

We’ve developed parts of these parks, lakes, and rivers so they're available year round for almost any outdoor pursuit that takes your fancy. Our rangers also patrol the Northern Pegasus Bay beaches and rivers, working to protect the natural environment while providing information and assistance for visitors.

Please check notices and events for the latest information or like our Facebook(external link) page to stay up to date.

We’re passionate about the parks and encourage you to use them to host events(external link).

Visit the parks but please respect the vegetation and wildlife. Remove all rubbish, don’t light fires, and keep your dogs under effective control. Chainsaws are not permitted in any of our parks but you are welcome to collect dead or fallen wood by hand. 

Together we can restore and protect the mauri (life force) of our region's land and water while maintaining a prosperous land-based economy. Below you can find links to all the resources and information you need to join us on this journey.

Let's keep it tidy

Keeping your regional parks tidy is easy.

Waimakariri River Regional Park

Find out where's best for biking, bird watching, horse-riding, trail bike riding, whitebaiting, picnicking, jet-boating, kayaking, game bird hunting and more.

Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park

Encompassing the river’s edge and estuary, this park is great for relaxing nature walks, mountain biking, fishing and whitebaiting.

Northern Pegasus Bay

Explore this stretch of coast just a short drive north of Christchurch where you’ll find a collection of beachside communities, and campgrounds, horse riders and anglers trying their luck surfcasting.

Lake Tekapo/Takapō Regional Park

Explore 165 hectares of land along the eastern shores of stunning Lake Tekapo where you'll find picnic spots, an enclosed dog park and 24 kilometres of cycling and walking tracks.

Regional parks notices

Here you'll find information about park closures, work and maintenance in our parks.

Regional parks events

Find out what's happening in our parks, plus guidelines and advice on how to book an event.

Motor vehicle access guidelines

General motor vehicle access guidelines