A new map of Mt Richmond Forest Park is now available which the Department of Conservation hopes will help put the park more on the map as an outdoor destination.

The new map of the forest park that straddles Nelson and Marlborough has been produced in response to numerous requests after the previous 1985 map of the park long ago went out of print.

DOC Nelson/Marlborough recreation planner Brendon Clough said it was hoped the new map would encourage more people to venture into the 166,000-hectare park for recreational outings.

"Mt Richmond Forest Park has a commanding presence over Nelson city, the Waimea Plains and the Wairau Valley with its ridge of rocky peaks dominating the skyline. Its closeness to populated areas and its many access points make it an easily-reached park. It can be enjoyed for a range of outdoor pursuits and long or short trips.

"With 28 huts and an excellent network of tracks and routes, the park is a fantastic place for outdoor enthusiasts to roam remote backcountry on multi-day tramping, hunting and fishing trips.

"It is also great for shorter day or weekend trips - on easy paths at its edges or on strenuous hikes up to mountaintops. There are a myriad of opportunities for mountain bike rides and also wide, well-formed tracks suitable for four-wheel drive excursions.

"The park has been somewhat overshadowed by the nearby national parks - Nelson Lakes, Abel Tasman and Kahurangi - and other popular areas such as the Marlborough Sounds. It is used mostly by locals but we hope the new map of the park will attract more people from further afield to make the most of the many different trips and recreational opportunities it offers."

The back of the new map contains information about the natural features and history of the park as well as details of trips and activities that can be undertaken within it. It has profiles of the mountain ranges, identifying individual peaks, as seen from the south and the northwest.

People can get copies of the new Mt Richmond Forest Park map, which sells for $18.99, from DOC visitor centres and offices in Nelson and Marlborough, or an order form can be obtained from the DOC website www.doc.govt.nz.