Discover Dunedin’s Hidden Hiking Gems: Trails Unknown to Tourists!

At the end of last year, I went to Dunedin to visit my in-laws and stayed there for over a month. Sometimes, when I was bored at home, I would search on Xiaohongshu for fun places to go. Later, I found out that everyone usually goes to places like the University of Otago, the train station, museums, Baldwin Street, and at most, Tunnel Beach and Sandfly Bay, as well as the place to see albatrosses.

However, my in-laws recommended Pineapple Track and Signal Hill Lookout to me. Their friends took me to Ross Creek. Of course, Tunnel Beach is a very good place to go, and both my mother-in-law and her friends recommended it to me.

My favorite place was the route from Pineapple Track to Flagstaff. I walked this path at least four or five times, never tiring of the view. Later, when I went to Wanaka and hiked the popular Roy’s Peak, after huffing and puffing up the mountain for hours, I reached the top and thought, “Is this it? I might as well have stayed home and climbed Pineapple Track!”

The starting point of Pineapple Track is in the city. You can navigate to the Pineapple Track Walkway. The entrance to the trail is shown in Figure 1. Google Maps can sometimes be misleading. For example, the driving route from my mother-in-law’s house to the entrance of Pineapple Track is only 2 kilometers, but if you choose the walking route, it becomes 7 kilometers. The system gave me a longer route. The first time, not knowing this, I honestly walked 7 kilometers to the trail.

Once you enter the trail, there is basically only one path, so you won’t get lost. In general, just keep climbing the mountain, and you won’t go wrong. When you reach about halfway up, you might see a fork to the left, which is a downhill path. Don’t go there; continue climbing up. After about 15-20 minutes, you will emerge from the dense forest and reach the top of the mountain.

From there, you can overlook the entire city, with a very open view. I’m not good at taking photos, but the real scenery is much more impressive than the pictures.

Following the trail further, you will see signs for the lookout. Follow the signs, and there is a small path leading directly to the top of the mountain, where you can sit on a bench and enjoy the view. After enjoying the view, continue along the trail. There’s more to come, as the scenery at Flagstaff ahead is even more beautiful.

When you reach the location shown in Figure 9, choose the direction towards Flagstaff Summit. It takes about 45 minutes to walk there and offers a different perspective to overlook Dunedin. Figures 14-15 show the signs for Flagstaff Summit.

It takes approximately 2 hours to complete the entire route. Starting from the Pineapple Track side, the climb can be a bit challenging, but it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the summit. This initial stretch is quite steep and winds through dense forest, offering no views. However, once you emerge from the trees, the path opens up, revealing breathtaking scenery that continues all the way.

The rest of the hike is relatively flat, making it an easy and enjoyable walk. Along the trail, you might encounter friendly locals out for a stroll with their dogs. It’s a local custom to greet fellow hikers, and you’ll often see them walking their dogs and climbing mountains daily. Even the elderly are impressively swift, which can leave you feeling both inspired and humbled.

This hiking route is a classic favorite among locals who are passionate about outdoor activities. Despite its popularity, there is surprisingly little information about it on Xiaohongshu, giving it a somewhat hidden gem status.

Track Summit