Tracks around Twizel?

[Crawlerer79]

I was just wondering if there are any good 4WD tracks around Twizel area as I will be staying there for a bit in a wee whiles time. I know there's a few play areas and there's some running down the side of the Tekapo River that finishes up with you pulling out at Pukaki but is fairly plain sailing and the corrugations in a Zook isn't worth it! I'm thinking something grade 3ish. We'll have a Zook currently on 29s (should be on bigger rubber by then) and a Discovery on 30s, both with snorkels etc. but nothing fancy at all. We have a winch. Any good area's people know of. Not really interested on going to far away (heading up to Tekapo to do the Godley is well past my limits). Just after some tracks to fill in say an afternoon. Any recommendations? Cheers guys

[NJV6]

There are not really any play areas in the region at all, not really the place for play areas given it hardly ever rains!

However you can explore up the Hopkins river at the head of lake ohau and the Dobson as well, the Dobson requires permission but last time I was there they had no problem with us going. You could probably access the Dobson from the Hopkins side.
G
You can go through Black Forest station for a great drive. Costs $20 though and you ring up for the gate code. Follows the benmore pylons for the national grid, it runs from the benmore dam to dog kennel corner.

There are heaps of nice gravel road drives in the area - we love it, but you do need to have lower tyre pressures and put up with corugations and dust!!

[Crawlerer79]

There are not really any play areas in the region at all, not really the place for play areas given it hardly ever rains!

However you can explore up the Hopkins river at the head of lake ohau and the Dobson as well, the Dobson requires permission but last time I was there they had no problem with us going. You could probably access the Dobson from the Hopkins side.
G
You can go through Black Forest station for a great drive. Costs $20 though and you ring up for the gate code. Follows the benmore pylons for the national grid, it runs from the benmore dam to dog kennel corner.

There are heaps of nice gravel road drives in the area - we love it, but you do need to have lower tyre pressures and put up with corugations and dust!!

There's a couple tracks I know of on the edge of Lake Ruataniwha which is good for a play (water is about bonnet deep) but I hadn't considered the Hopkins. Very interested.

I have to agree with the dust and tyre pressures, last year in the Discovery we did 150km on these roads in a day and by the end of it we were covered in dust and anything only finger tight was completely loose I'll look into the Hopkins I think.... not after fluffing around trying to get permission or anything as it would just be a last minute decision to get up and go