Forestry England lists dogs as allowed at the park. Follow signs on site as no further dog rules are published on the page.

Queen Elizabeth Country Park Guide: Hours & Parking

Q: Is Queen Elizabeth Country Park free?

Forestry England describes the park as open access, but car parking is charged: from October to March it is £2.00 for up to one hour, £4.00 for two, £5.50 for four and £7.00 for a full day.

Q: What time does it open?

The park is open every day. From October to March the Visitor Centre, shop and cafe run 10am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm at weekends.

Q: What is the postcode?

PO8 0QE, but the page warns it leads to the Hampshire Hog pub, so follow park signs from the A3.

What is Queen Elizabeth Country Park?

Queen Elizabeth Country Park is a downland and woodland park in the South Downs. Forestry England's page for the park describes it as over 2,000 acres of open access woodland and downland, running from the top of Butser Hill, which it calls the highest point on the South Downs, down to the Visitor Centre with its shop and cafe. Its at-a-glance list shows walking and cycling trails, a play area and a cafe.

The Forestry England page points visitors to the Hampshire County Council website for current facilities. Check the Hampshire Country Parks pages before you set off, particularly for anything seasonal.

Opening times

The page says the park is open every day and that opening hours are seasonal. For the Visitor Centre, Forest Shop and Cafe, the summer period from April to September is 10am to 5pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm at weekends. In winter, October to March, it is 10am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm at weekends. As it is early October 2026, the winter hours apply. The same page says all the car parks are open 24 hours a day.

Parking charges

Parking is the cost that catches people out, because the park itself is open access but the car parks are charged. These are the charges as published on the Forestry England page in October 2026. From April to September it is £2.50 for up to one hour, £5.00 for up to two hours, £8.00 for up to four hours and £9.50 for a full day. From October to March it is £2.00 for up to one hour, £4.00 for up to two hours, £5.50 for up to four hours and £7.00 for a full day. Motorbikes are free. Blue Badge holders pay the standard charges. Coaches with 15 or more seats are £20.00 per day.

The page also says Forestry England national members do not get free parking here, and that there are no designated accessible parking spaces at the park. Prices change, so check the page before you go.

Walking trails and Butser Hill

Forestry England's walking trails page says there are three permissive, waymarked walking trails, all described in the on-site leaflet. They are named as a downland trail, a long woodland trail and a short woodland trail. Use the leaflet or the park's own information for their lengths and timings.

Butser Hill is named on the main page as the highest point of the South Downs, and it is the reason many people come. For longer routes that start closer to home, see our walking routes from Horndean.

Cycling and mountain biking

There are two permissive bike trails, clearly waymarked on the ground, shown on the cycling and mountain biking page as an intermediate trail and an advanced trail. The page links to Forestry England's trail grading information, which is worth reading before you choose.

Cafe, toilets, dogs and parkrun

The cafe is called Beechwood Kitchen. Forestry England describes it as serving home-made, locally sourced food, meals, snacks and cakes, with a selection of teas, coffee and hot chocolate, and its summer and winter hours match the Visitor Centre times above. The park page lists toilets and a picnic area under facilities, and says dogs are allowed. For dog rules, follow the signs on site.

The same page says parkrun holds a free, timed 5km run at the park every Saturday at 9:00am. If you plan to take part, check the parkrun organisers for the current course and any changes.

Events

For events, Forestry England has events, music and arts pages, and the park can be contacted on 02392 595040 or at qecp.enquiries@hants.gov.uk.

How to get there

The page says the park can be reached from the A3 between Petersfield and Cowplain, in either direction. The sat nav postcode it gives is PO8 0QE, with a warning that the nearest postcode will take you to the Hampshire Hog pub, so watch for the park signs instead. The OS grid reference is SU718185. Check a journey planner for travel times from your village. Our Horndean buses guide may help, and our things to do in Horndean guide has other days out.

Quick answers

Is Queen Elizabeth Country Park free? Forestry England describes the park as open access, but the car parks are charged. In October to March it is £2.00 for up to one hour and £7.00 for a full day.

What time does it open? The park is open every day. In winter (October to March) the Visitor Centre, shop and cafe run 10am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm at weekends.

Can I take my dog? Forestry England lists dogs as allowed. Follow on-site signs.

What is the postcode? PO8 0QE, though the page warns it leads to the Hampshire Hog pub, so follow the park signs from the A3.

Queen Elizabeth Country Park & Butser Hill: Visitor Guide