Big King Reserve — Attraction in Puketāpapa

A Volcanic Playground Loved by Locals and Dogs Alike!

If you’re searching for a nearby escape with amazing views and loads of space, look no further than Big Kin Reserve (Big King). It's a volcanic maunga – part of Auckland’s ancestral mountains – with a well-maintained circular path that takes around 30–35 minutes to complete The off‑leash dog area is a real highlight. There are wide flat sections for pups to chase balls, snuffle, and socialize, plus more rugged, hilly bits to keep walks interesting Most evenings you’ll find a friendly crowd of dog‑owners catching up while their dogs burn off energy—be prepared to make furry friends!

Climb to the summit and you’re treated to sweeping panoramas across Mt Eden, the Waitākere Ranges, and beyond The summit even has a bench so you can pause and soak it all in.

Paths are mostly sealed and pushchair‑friendly at first, though there are some steps closer to the top—just enough to keep it fun for all fitness levels .

Whether you’re after a quick workout, a leisurely family walk, or prime dog‑off‑leash area, Big Kin Reserve has it all—and the community vibe makes it feel extra special. Highly recommended for locals and...

Big King Reserve is definitely a hidden gem in Auckland.

My husband always talks about the history of Three Kings and is very disappointed about having only one King left, that is Big King.

We visited there yesterday afternoon even though the weather was not so good. We managed to talk a relaxing walk there and enjoyed our romantic time together.

There were around 70 steps on the staircases to climb on the way to the summit of Big King, so please make sure you are able to walk up and down the stairs.

The grass and staircases were wet so we had to pay extra care to walk up and down the hill.

Arriving at the summit of Big Kings, there was a huge water tank there, with a lovely dog painting on the outside of water tank.

Views there were so magnificent and fascinating that you don’t really want to leave there.

Please be aware that there are lots and lots of dog lovers with their dogs there so if you are scared of dogs, you should be careful about hiking there.

There were plenty of parking spaces including one mobility park.

We highly recommend you to go there for a relaxing walk on weekends if you live near Big King Reserve or happen to...

Summer nights walk up the Big King was a very calm and gentle climb to the top where you get panoramic views of Auckland City and harbours. Enjoyed the safe and well constructed walkway. There are options of the route you take, either follow the tarmac or veer to the right which we find more interesting for our furby. Just be aware of the karaka berries which are tempting to dogs but is fatal and toxic for them. We did see Kereru feeding that day too. There are lots of birds flitting in the trees here. A very unique feature here is ‘Dog’ from footrot flats that is painted on the reservoir at the top. We returned the same way we went up but there are a few other walking tracks here. It’s popular for joggers, walkers and family friendly but a popular spot for dog walkers too. It’s a hidden gem in the heart of...