Tramper perspectives on New Zealand's Great Walks in a time of transition

‘Great Walks’ are highly managed multi‐day experiences established within New Zealand's national parks. We examine their history and promotion asking ‘ How have the contexts for recreational walking in the New Zealand wilderness changed? ’ and ‘ How are these changes regarded by trampers as practitioners of backcountry walking? ’ To address these questions, we draw on 703 responses to an online survey. We note a mixed regard for Great Walks among trampers. Some consider the wilderness experience as undermined by the popularity of these branded experiences while others note that they cater for a range of users, despite high costs reducing effective accessibility.