Outdoor Activities

Walk along the ridge line from Brow Peak behind Arrowtown. The walk involves just over 1000 vertical metres of climbing and has has great views out over Arrowtown, Wakatipu Basin and Macetown.

14 files, last one added on Mar 13, 2008

Roses Saddle is one of the four passes on the Motatapu Track. It is around a 500m climb from the Arrow River coming from Macetown and rewards you with great views down the Motatapu Valley.

31 files, last one added on Dec 15, 2008

All Nations Battery (just past United Battery) is about 1.5 hour walk from Macetown. There are plenty of remnants of the gold mining days with the batteries, old huts, water races and mining equipment.

38 files, last one added on Jan 20, 2009

Brow Peak (1456m) is a good slog from Arrowtown, but once you are at the top, the ridgetop walk to Coronet Peak (just above Rocky Gully) is very easy and a real classic.

33 files, last one added on Jan 10, 2009

The Moonlight/Ben Lomond Saddle loop is one of the classic Queenstown walks with great views of the Shotover River/Moonlight Creek and the vast views of Lake Wakatipu from the saddle.

26 files, last one added on Feb 02, 2009

The views from Shadow Basin lookout (in summer or winter) are probably the best in the Queenstown region. It is the iconic view that features on lots of tourist posters.
This was a perfect summer evening to walk up to the lookout.

16 files, last one added on Feb 07, 2009

Involved a nice early morning ride to Macetown (with slightly numb feet). Then following a faint track heading up the ridge that goes up to Advance Peak. There wasn't enough time to make it all the way to Advance Peak, but there is a great viewpoint from an unamed peak at 1318m.

28 files, last one added on Mar 06, 2009

A great little walk for limited time going from the Remarkables base to Lake Alta, up to Wye Saddle, then across the ridge to the east and straight back down.

16 files, last one added on Jan 02, 2010

This is one of the classic walks in the region. It isn't really publicised (for good reason), as the Queens Drive track crosses the very steep western side of the Remarkables and is a goat track at best. A good pair of boots and caution is needed on the steep, rubbly sections. It seems amazing that it used to be a route that sheep were taken over.

There are great views of Lake Wakatipu the whole way along, then when the track heads east under the large rock face of Double Cone, you head into the Wye Basin with great views of the tarns and Wye Valley, before heading over Wye Saddle back to the carpark.

25 files, last one added on Jan 31, 2010

This exploration of Deep Creek from the Skippers Canyon side was in preparation for the Cure Kids Great Adventure Race in 2009. Note that Deep Creek is on private property and permission must be gained before entering.

35 files, last one added on Feb 12, 2010

Ben Lomond is classic peak to climb in the Queenstown region, but the standard route can get very busy during the summer months. A much nicer option is to do a loop via the southern ridge of Ben Lomond, which gets very little traffic and gets you away from the Queenstown side.

22 files, last one added on Jan 06, 2011

A classic walk from the Remarkables taking in the Doolans and Wye Valley.

32 files, last one added on Jan 31, 2011

Queens Drive is a classic Queenstown walk crossing the western face of the Remarkables. It has a great variety scenery and a true alpine experience.

33 files, last one added on Feb 20, 2011

This was the 3rd annual Queens Drive Circuit. The morning started off with quite thick low/medium level cloud that hung over the valley until around lunchtime.
Always a classic walk and well worth repeating.

55 files, last one added on Feb 07, 2012

Big Hill is a classic medium length circuit behind Arrowtown with great views over the Wakatipu Valley and the Macetown region.

44 files, last one added on Jun 02, 2011

A great short walk to the ridge line below Single Cone with expansive views over the Wye Valley and beyond.

19 files, last one added on Mar 21, 2012

A great day walk with views into the Doolans and Wye Valleys and the best views of Single/Double Cone.

27 files, last one added on Mar 31, 2012

Classic walk with great views in all directions along the Crown Range. The terrain is easy going.

25 files, last one added on Apr 01, 2012

A great pre-winter walk to the communications tower at the top of the Remarkables with great views in all directions.

37 files, last one added on May 03, 2012

This walk takes in three of the historic gold mining batteries in the Macetown area.

32 files, last one added on May 06, 2012

Walk along the Matukituki river and up the East Matukituki Valley until the first suspension bridge and then a scrabble up though the beech forest for views of Rob Roy Glacier. Return walk was about 4 hours.

17 files, last one added on Jan 03, 2010

Fern Burn Hut is an easy 2 hour walk at the start of the Motatupu walking track from the Glendu Bay end at Wanaka. It starts off in relatively uninteresting farm land before entering a magnificent beech forest. Fern Burn hut is very new (opened in Nov 2008) and is a very high standard with insulated. polished floor and double glazed windows.

14 files, last one added on Feb 25, 2009

Rob Roy Glacier is probably one of the top short walks in New Zealand and allows you to get very close to the glacier if you continue past the lookout.

35 files, last one added on Dec 13, 2011

Glacier Burn is one of the lesser known walks in the Glenorchy region. It goes through beautiful beech forest before opening out into an open glacial valley and eventually up to Mt Bonpland and the Bryant Glacier.

21 files, last one added on Mar 23, 2011

A magnificent 2 day walk starting from the Rees Valley and over the 1700m Lennox Pass into Earnslaw Burn with great views of Mt Earnslaw and the Earnslaw Glacier. The route out is along the ridge above Earnslaw burn and back out to the Paradise Road. It's not a heavily used route and there is quite a bit of fighting through the vegetation (particularly near Lennox stream).

63 files, last one added on Jan 20, 2012

Mt Alfred Challenge is in its 3rd year. Mt Alfred is located near Glenorchy and starts/finishes at Paradise. It's billed as the most scenic mountain bike ride in the world, and it would be hard to dispute that claim.

3 files, last one added on Mar 30, 2008

Moke Lake is a popular camping, fishing, walking and mountain biking area. This trip covers the Moke Lake circuit with a side trip to Lake Dispute.

11 files, last one added on Apr 21, 2008

Soho Creek is around the halfway point between Arrowtown and Macetown. The road that follows Soho Creek is where the Motatapu Classic joins the Arrow River on the homeward stretch to Arrowtown.

14 files, last one added on Apr 26, 2008

Macetown is always a popular destination to ride to, but with the snow fed rivers and 24 river crossings, it made my feet feel like blocks of ice.

22 files, last one added on Sep 06, 2008

The Rees Valley near Glenorchy is the start/finish of the Dart Rees Track. Mountain biking along the Rees Valley to the National Park boundary is relatively easy along the 4wd track, although it does require a number of river crossings which can be cold and deep during the spring melt.

38 files, last one added on Oct 13, 2008

The track out to Jacks Point from Kelvin Heights follows the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu. It offers fantastic views of Cecil Peak, Remarkables and looking back to Queenstown.
If there is enough time, the loop back along Kelvin Peninsula makes for a great ride.

14 files, last one added on Nov 10, 2008

Great mountain bike ride with rugged scenery and historic places. Involves quite a bit of vertical and reasonable confidence on steep trails.

19 files, last one added on Mar 08, 2012