The 1.5 km Matai Rail Trail on Table Hill, south of Owaka, to be opened on May 9, should begin to fill a void in what the Catlins offers walkers, secretary of Catlins Promotions Fergus Sutherland said.
The area, which is enjoyed for its natural beauty, does not offer many substantial walks, he said.
''It does add a significant walk,'' Mr Sutherland said.
''We don't have long walks in the Catlins. We have pretty short walks to the waterfalls, 20 minutes return at Purakaunui Falls and Matai Falls, but this, at an hour, is a bit more.''
Catlins Promotions began planning the track in May 2013. It will be the second trail the group has completed as a joint effort with the Department of Conservation since work done at the Wisp completed the two day loop track along the Catlins River two years ago.
The new Matai Rail Trail branches off the track to Matai Falls and Horseshoe Falls about halfway along towards the waterfalls.
About 60 hours of volunteer labour cleared 80m of bush that had once separated the Doc trail from the old railway line.
Now the track has been cleared of the thin layer of vegetation and soil that had accumulated since the railway was closed in 1971.
The railway had to run across gullies that bore streams and cut through spurs, and now the track - a $20,000 fundraising project for Catlins Promotions - offers a relatively gentle climb to a picnic table with farmland and forest views, about 30 minutes away.
''That was the most difficult section of the whole line for the workers to make,'' Mr Sutherland said.
''It is quite spectacular.''
Four good viewpoints would greet walkers along the way, Mr Sutherland said. ''It's not straight,'' he said.
''It's particularly windy, that's the most winding section of the whole line, and the steepest.''
Work began on the Catlins River Branch Line between Balclutha and Tahakopa in 1879 and took more than 30 years to finish.
Work began in earnest on the Matai Rail Trail walking track in February. The ribbon cutting next Saturday will be followed by an opening reception at the Tahakopa Hall, where the Catlins River branch line ended.
Memorabilia and country music by Ron Gallagher would accompany afternoon tea, Mr Sutherland said. A commemorative booklet and guide would be available, he said.
