Queenstown walks and tracks
Every track with its distance, time and grade, whether it is open today, what winter does to it, and whether a bus gets you there.
Published 4 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
In short: 50 tracks, from Bennetts Bluff lookout (15 minutes return) to Rees-Dart (4 to 5 days one way). 16 are good in winter, 13 were closed or off season on 18 September 2026, and 28 start within 1.2 km of an Orbus stop. Every figure is the managing body’s own, from DOC, the Queenstown Trails Trust or the council.
Closed or off season right now
- Frankton Track: partly closed. On 16 September 2026 sections of the lakeside trail are closed for the council's wastewater pipeline works, and walkers and riders are sent along the sealed footpath beside Frankton Road (SH6A).
- One Mile Creek: closed. The council's weather event update of 28 August 2026 lists One Mile Lower among the trails closed after the 27 to 28 August storm, and says closures stay in place while assessments and remedial work are done.
- Lake Hayes loop: partly closed. On 18 September 2026 the Queenstown Trails Trust lists the trail as partially open, with the bridge at the northern end still closed, under a network-wide warning of mud, flooding, scour and washouts after heavy rain.
- Arrowtown Millennium Walk: partly closed. On 18 September 2026 the Queenstown Trails Trust's alert bar lists the Arrow River Bridges Trail closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road, with no reopening date, and the council's storm update of 28 August 2026, unchanged when re-read on 18 September 2026, lists the Arrow River trail on the true left (Tobins side) and the Swain Bridge section, Arrowtown to Whitechapel Road, as closed.
- Big Hill Track: partly closed. The council lists Macetown Road, where both descents from Big Hill Saddle end, as closed because of multiple slips and washouts (read 18 September 2026); DOC also reports numerous, possibly unstable slips there with 4WD access closed, and the Shotover 4WD Club lists the track closed until it is assessed and repaired, so treat the saddle as the turnaround.
- Bush Creek Track: closed. The Queenstown Trails Trust's alert bar lists Bush Creek as closed on 18 September 2026, next to a network-wide warning about heavy rain damage, and lists the Coronet Loop (which Bush Creek is part of) closed for winter.
- Coronet Loop: closed for the season. On 18 September 2026 the Queenstown Trails Trust lists the Coronet Loop as closed for winter; its trail page says the loop generally closes from May to October, and no reopening date is posted.
- Macetown: closed. The council's roading update, read on 18 September 2026, lists Macetown Road, Arrowtown, as closed because of multiple slips and washouts.
- Arrow River Bridges Trail: partly closed. On 18 September 2026 the Queenstown Trails Trust lists the trail as closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road, and warns of mud, flooding, scour and washouts across the network after heavy rain.
- Rees-Dart: partly closed. On 18 September 2026 DOC has the Dart Track closed between Daleys Flat Hut and Chinamans Bluff by a large slip, until at least December 2026 with no reopening date, which makes the circuit impassable.
- Routeburn day walks: off season. On 18 September 2026 the Routeburn Track is outside the Great Walks season (1 May to 31 October 2026): avalanche-prone bridges are removed, DOC does not manage avalanche or flood hazards and hut facilities are reduced.
- Lake Alta: off season. No DOC alert was listed for the Lake Alta Track on 18 September 2026.
- Lower Wye Creek: closed. On 18 September 2026 DOC's alert still closes the Lower Wye Creek Track and adjacent areas from 14 September 2026 for car park construction, which DOC expects to take a week or so; no reopening has been posted.
Under an hour
- Queenstown Gardens loop: 2 km loop, 40 minutes, Queenstown.
- Sunshine Bay track: 4 km return, 40 minutes to 1 hour return, Queenstown.
- Tiki Trail: 2 km one way, 1 hour one way (up), Queenstown.
- Arrow Gorge Track: 1.5 km one way, 25 minutes one way (about 1 hour return), Arrowtown.
- Chinese Settlement: Under 1 hour, at your own pace, Arrowtown.
- Tobins Track: 6.3 km return, 1 hour return, Arrowtown.
- Morningstar Track: 2 km one way, back the same way, 30 minutes one way, Arthurs Point and Skippers.
- Mt Dewar: 2.5 km one way to the summit, 1 hour one way to the summit, Arthurs Point and Skippers.
- Oxenbridge Tunnel: 1 km return, 20 minutes return, Arthurs Point and Skippers.
- Arawata Track: 1.4 km one way, 45 minutes one way, Glenorchy Road.
- Bob's Cove: 1.5 km one way, 20 minutes to Bobs Cove, 30 minutes to Picnic Point, one way, Glenorchy Road.
- Bennetts Bluff lookout: 630 m return, 15 minutes return, Glenorchy and the Routeburn.
Good in winter
From June to August the low lakeside, river and Arrowtown tracks stay walkable; the alpine tracks are avalanche terrain and the long days run out of daylight. Winter ratings here are for June to August.
- Frankton Track: 8.5 km one way (Queenstown Gardens to Kawarau Falls Bridge), 1.5 to 2 hours walking one way; 30 minutes to 1 hour by bike.
- Queenstown Gardens loop: 2 km loop, 40 minutes.
- Sunshine Bay track: 4 km return, 40 minutes to 1 hour return.
- Kelvin Heights Trail: 9.3 km one way (Kawarau Falls Bridge to Jardine Park); the Sculpture Trail loop is 3.5 km, 2 to 3 hours walking; 1 to 2 hours by bike; about 1 hour for the Sculpture Trail loop.
- Countryside Trail: 12.8 km one way, 2.5 to 4 hours walking, 1.5 to 3 hours by bike, one way.
- Tucker Beach Trail: 4.4 km one way, 1 hour 10 minutes walking, 30 minutes by bike, one way.
- Chinese Settlement: Under 1 hour, at your own pace.
- Morningstar Track: 2 km one way, back the same way, 30 minutes one way.
- Oxenbridge Tunnel: 1 km return, 20 minutes return.
- Arawata Track: 1.4 km one way, 45 minutes one way.
- Bob's Cove: 1.5 km one way, 20 minutes to Bobs Cove, 30 minutes to Picnic Point, one way.
- Mt Crichton loop: 6.4 km loop, 2 to 3 hours for the loop; 1 hour to Sam Summers Hut.
- Seven Mile Point: 3 km one way, 1 hour 30 minutes one way.
- Twelve Mile Delta track: 6 km one way, 1 to 2 hours one way.
- Bennetts Bluff lookout: 630 m return, 15 minutes return.
- Glenorchy Walkway: 3.2 km loop, with a larger and a smaller option (Destination Queenstown), 1 to 2 hours, depending on pace and which loop.
Queenstown
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Lomond | 14 km return to the summit via the Tiki Trail; 10 km return to the saddle (DOC's brochure gives 13 to 15 km and 11 km) | 6 to 8 hours return to the summit from Queenstown; 5 hours return to the saddle; 3 to 4 hours return to the saddle from the top of the gondola | Advanced | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Frankton Track | 8.5 km one way (Queenstown Gardens to Kawarau Falls Bridge) | 1.5 to 2 hours walking one way; 30 minutes to 1 hour by bike | Grade 2, easy | Good in winter | Partly closed |
| One Mile Creek | 1.9 km return | 1 to 1.5 hours return | Advanced tramping track | Care needed in winter | Closed |
| Queenstown Gardens loop | 2 km loop | 40 minutes | Easy short walk | Good in winter | Open |
| Queenstown Hill | 5.4 km return | 2 to 3 hours return | Easy to intermediate walking track | Care needed in winter | Open |
| Sunshine Bay track | 4 km return | 40 minutes to 1 hour return | Easy to intermediate walking track | Good in winter | Open |
| Tiki Trail | 2 km one way | 1 hour one way (up) | Easy to intermediate walking track | Care needed in winter | Open |
Kelvin Heights and Jack's Point
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack's Point Trail | 6.3 km one way (DOC's brochure gives 7.1 km) | 2 to 3 hours walking one way; 2 to 3 hours return by bike | Grade 4, advanced | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Kelvin Heights Trail | 9.3 km one way (Kawarau Falls Bridge to Jardine Park); the Sculpture Trail loop is 3.5 km | 2 to 3 hours walking; 1 to 2 hours by bike; about 1 hour for the Sculpture Trail loop | Grade 2, easy | Good in winter | Open, with cautions |
Lake Hayes and the Shotover
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countryside Trail | 12.8 km one way | 2.5 to 4 hours walking, 1.5 to 3 hours by bike, one way | Grade 3, intermediate | Good in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Lake Hayes loop | 8 km loop | 2 to 3 hours walking, about 1 hour by bike | Grade 3, intermediate | Care needed in winter | Partly closed |
| Shotover Gorge Trail | 5.5 km one way (Arthurs Point to Tucker Beach) | 2 hours walking, 1 to 1.5 hours by bike, one way | Grade 3, with short Grade 4 sections at the Hugo Tunnel | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Tucker Beach Trail | 4.4 km one way | 1 hour 10 minutes walking, 30 minutes by bike, one way | Grade 2, easy | Good in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Twin Rivers Trail | 18.5 km one way | 4 to 5 hours walking, 2 to 3 hours by bike, one way | Grade 3, intermediate | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
Arrowtown
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrow Gorge Track | 1.5 km one way | 25 minutes one way (about 1 hour return) | Easy to intermediate walking track | Care needed in winter | Open |
| Arrowtown Millennium Walk | 4 km loop | 1 hour (loop) | Grade 2, easy | Care needed in winter | Partly closed |
| Big Hill Track | 15.5 km return | 8 hours return | Intermediate/Advanced | Not a winter walk | Partly closed |
| Bush Creek Track | 6.5 km one way | 1 hour 30 minutes one way | Intermediate tramping track | Care needed in winter | Closed |
| Chinese Settlement | Not published | Under 1 hour, at your own pace | Wheelchair accessible short walk | Good in winter | Open |
| Coronet Loop | 50 km loop | 4 to 8 hours by bike | Grade 3 to 4, intermediate mountain bike trail with advanced sections | Closed in winter | Closed for the season |
| Macetown | 15 km one way | 3 to 4 hours one way on foot; 1 to 2 hours one way by mountain bike | Intermediate (river crossings) | Not a winter walk | Closed |
| New Chum Gully | 7.5 km loop | 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours loop | Intermediate/Advanced | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Sawpit Gully loop | 7.9 km loop | About 3 hours loop | Intermediate/Advanced | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Tobins Track | 6.3 km return | 1 hour return | Easy to intermediate walking track | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
Gibbston
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrow River Bridges Trail | 13.7 km one way | 2 to 3 hours by bike, 3 to 5 hours on foot | Grade 2, easy | Care needed in winter | Partly closed |
| Gibbston River Trail | 8.7 km one way | 1 to 2 hours by bike, 2 to 3 hours on foot | Grade 2, easy (Peregrine Loop: Grade 4 to 5 for bikes) | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
Arthurs Point and Skippers
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atleys Track | 13.7 km one way | 5 to 6 hours one way | Advanced tramping track | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Devils Creek | 8.1 km one way | 6 hours one way | Advanced tramping track | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Moonlight Track | 13.5 km one way | 4 hours one way | Easy to intermediate walking track | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Morningstar Track | 2 km one way, back the same way | 30 minutes one way | Walking track (DOC describes it as a short, easy walk) | Good in winter | Open |
| Mt Dewar | 2.5 km one way to the summit | 1 hour one way to the summit | Advanced tramping track | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Oxenbridge Tunnel | 1 km return | 20 minutes return | Easy to intermediate | Good in winter | Open |
Glenorchy Road
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arawata Track | 1.4 km one way | 45 minutes one way | Easy to intermediate | Good in winter | Open |
| Bob's Cove | 1.5 km one way | 20 minutes to Bobs Cove, 30 minutes to Picnic Point, one way | Easy to intermediate | Good in winter | Open |
| Lake Dispute walk | 5.6 km return | 1 hour 30 minutes return | Easy to intermediate walking track | Care needed in winter | Open |
| Moke Lake loop | 6 km loop | 2 to 3 hours loop | Easy to intermediate walking track | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Mt Crichton loop | 6.4 km loop | 2 to 3 hours for the loop; 1 hour to Sam Summers Hut | Easy to intermediate | Good in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Seven Mile Point | 3 km one way | 1 hour 30 minutes one way | Easy to intermediate | Good in winter | Open |
| Twelve Mile Delta track | 6 km one way | 1 to 2 hours one way | Easy to intermediate | Good in winter | Open |
Glenorchy and the Routeburn
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennetts Bluff lookout | 630 m return | 15 minutes return | Wheelchair accessible short walk | Good in winter | Open |
| Glenorchy Walkway | 3.2 km loop, with a larger and a smaller option (Destination Queenstown) | 1 to 2 hours, depending on pace and which loop | Easy to intermediate walking track | Good in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Heather Jock loop | 17 km return from the car park, including the 3.3 km loop | 7 to 8 hours return from the car park; the loop alone is 1 hour 30 minutes from Bonnie Jean Hut | Advanced | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Invincible Mine | 4.5 km return | 3 hours return | Easy to intermediate | Care needed in winter | Open, with cautions |
| Lake Rere loop | 14 km loop | 4 to 6 hours loop | Easy to intermediate | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Lake Sylvan | 5.3 km loop, returning by the 1920s tramline | 40 minutes one way to the viewing platform, or 1 hour 40 minutes for the loop | Easy to intermediate | Care needed in winter | Open |
| Mt Judah Track | 13.4 km return | 4 to 6 hours return | Intermediate | Not a winter walk | Open, with cautions |
| Rees-Dart | 63 km one way between the Rees and Dart road ends | 4 to 5 days one way | Advanced tramping track | Not a winter walk | Partly closed |
| Routeburn day walks | 7.5 km one way to Routeburn Flats Hut and 9.8 km one way to Routeburn Falls Hut, back the same way; the Nature Walk is a short loop with no published distance | 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes one way to Routeburn Flats Hut; 3 to 4 hours one way to Routeburn Falls Hut; Nature Walk loop 40 minutes to 1 hour | Routeburn Track: intermediate tramping track in the Great Walks season, advanced tramping track and expert route from May to October. Routeburn Nature Walk: easy short walk | Care needed in winter | Off season |
The Remarkables
| Track | Distance | Time | Grade | Winter | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Alta | 2.4 km return | 1 hour 30 minutes return | Advanced tramping track | Not a winter walk | Off season |
| Lower Wye Creek | 6.66 km return | 4 hours return | Advanced tramping track | Not a winter walk | Closed |
Questions people ask
How many walks are there in Queenstown?
This guide covers 50 tracks and trails across Queenstown, Kelvin Heights, Lake Hayes, Arrowtown, Gibbston, Arthurs Point, the Glenorchy road, Glenorchy and The Remarkables, from Bennetts Bluff lookout (15 minutes return) to Rees-Dart (4 to 5 days one way).
What are the best short walks in Queenstown?
Tracks with a published time of an hour or less: Queenstown Gardens loop (40 minutes), Sunshine Bay track (40 minutes to 1 hour return), Tiki Trail (1 hour one way (up)), Arrow Gorge Track (25 minutes one way (about 1 hour return)), Chinese Settlement (Under 1 hour, at your own pace), Tobins Track (1 hour return), Morningstar Track (30 minutes one way), Mt Dewar (1 hour one way to the summit), Oxenbridge Tunnel (20 minutes return), Arawata Track (45 minutes one way), Bob's Cove (20 minutes to Bobs Cove, 30 minutes to Picnic Point, one way) and Bennetts Bluff lookout (15 minutes return).
Which Queenstown walks are good in winter?
The low tracks that stay walkable from June to August: Frankton Track, Queenstown Gardens loop, Sunshine Bay track, Kelvin Heights Trail, Countryside Trail, Tucker Beach Trail, Chinese Settlement, Morningstar Track, Oxenbridge Tunnel, Arawata Track, Bob's Cove, Mt Crichton loop, Seven Mile Point, Twelve Mile Delta track, Bennetts Bluff lookout and Glenorchy Walkway. Frost and ice are the usual hazard, so walk them late morning to mid-afternoon.
Which Queenstown tracks are closed right now?
On 18 September 2026: Frankton Track (partly closed), One Mile Creek (closed), Lake Hayes loop (partly closed), Arrowtown Millennium Walk (partly closed), Big Hill Track (partly closed), Bush Creek Track (closed), Coronet Loop (closed for the season), Macetown (closed), Arrow River Bridges Trail (partly closed), Rees-Dart (partly closed), Routeburn day walks (off season), Lake Alta (off season) and Lower Wye Creek (closed). Each track page gives the dates and the source.
Which walks can you reach by bus in Queenstown?
28 of the 50 tracks start within 1.2 km of an Orbus stop, including Ben Lomond, Frankton Track, One Mile Creek, Queenstown Gardens loop, Queenstown Hill, Sunshine Bay track, Tiki Trail and Jack's Point Trail. The fare is $2.50 with a Bee Card.
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Sources: Department of Conservation track pages and alerts (opens in a new tab) and Queenstown Trails Trust (opens in a new tab), retrieved 18 September 2026. Each track page lists its own sources and the date they were checked. Department of Conservation information is used under CC BY 4.0. This independent guide is published by Tally Sphere Limited, a New Zealand company. Spotted a change? Report a problem with this page and the page address comes with your email.