Arrowtown Millennium Walk
A wide gravel loop beside the willow-lined Arrow River, starting a block from Arrowtown's main street and shared by walkers, families and cyclists.
Published 15 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
Key facts
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. The loop's return leg on the true left below Tobins Bridge is inside both, so the full loop cannot be walked. The riverside from Ramshaw Lane to Tobins Bridge is outside the Trust's listed closure; the council's notice does not say where in Arrowtown its Swain Bridge closure begins, so follow any signs on the day. Checked 18 September 2026 on Queenstown Trails Trust trail alerts (opens in a new tab).
- Time
- 1 hour
- Distance
- 4 km loop
- Track type
- Loop
- Grade
- Grade 2, easy
- Surface
- Wide gravel track beside the river
- Winter
- Care needed in winter
- Starts at
- Ramshaw Lane car park (Arrow River Reserve), by Butler Green
- Bus
- Route 2 and Route 4 at Ramshaw Lane, 47, about 200 m from the start
- Dogs
- Dogs on a lead
- Bikes
- Shared with bikes
- Toilets
- Council toilets at the Ramshaw Lane end (Arrow River Reserve)
- Children
- Grade 2 and pitched by the Queenstown Trails Trust as a family walk or ride
- Cost
- Free
In short: The Arrowtown Millennium Walk is a 4 km loop along the Arrow River that DOC's brochure times at 1 hour. It is Grade 2 (easy), shared with bikes, and starts at the Ramshaw Lane car park by Butler Green, 200 m from the Arrowtown bus stop. Part of the loop is closed on 18 September 2026.
What the track is like
Willows and summer swimming holes on the Arrow River, the marked spot where Jack Tewa found gold in 1862, and the stretch that was the Gladden Fields location in The Lord of the Rings.
From the Ramshaw Lane car park the track follows the true right bank of the Arrow River downstream to Tobins Bridge, the narrow footbridge where Tobins Track starts up the hill on the far side. DOC describes the walk as wide, easy and tree-lined. It is gravel, forms part of the Arrow River Bridges Trail, and carries a lot of bikes, so keep left, as the Trust's trail code asks.
To make the full loop, the Trust and Destination Queenstown have you stay on the true right past Tobins Bridge to the next bridge, cross, come back upstream on the true left to Tobins Bridge, then retrace the riverside to Ramshaw Lane. DOC places the loop's two crossings opposite Tobins Track and Centennial Avenue Reserve. DOC puts the loop at 4 km and 1 hour. The Trust's page gives 3.25 km and under an hour, and Destination Queenstown lists 1 hour 30 minutes return.
While the closures stand (the Trust's between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road, and the council's on the true left, Tobins side), the true-left return leg is off limits and the loop cannot be completed. The open option is out and back along the true right between Ramshaw Lane and Tobins Bridge; no official distance or time is published for that shorter walk, so turn at the bridge, do not cross into the closed section and follow any closure signs.
At Tobins Bridge the walk meets Tobins Track, and from Arrowtown it links to the Countryside Trail toward Lower Shotover. There is a skate park beside the track near Ramshaw Lane, and the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement is a short walk from the start.
How to get to the start
Arrowtown is 21 km from central Queenstown, about 25 minutes by car via SH6 and Arrowtown-Lake Hayes Road, or via Malaghans Road. Park in the council car park off Ramshaw Lane or the one beside Dudley's Cottage off Buckingham Street; DOC also lists Ford Street as a start. The Trust says the Queenstown Trail is free to use, and council toilets are at the Ramshaw Lane end.
Orbus Routes 2 and 4 stop at Arrowtown (Ramshaw Lane), about 200 m from the start, and the fare is $2.50 with a Bee Card. Arrowtown is the Queenstown Trail hub, so bike hire and trail transport operators listed by the Trust run from here.
- Start: Ramshaw Lane car park (Arrow River Reserve), by Butler Green (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: Council car park off Ramshaw Lane (Arrow River Reserve); the Trust also points to a car park beside Dudley's Cottage, reached from Buckingham Street
- From Queenstown: Arrowtown is 21 km and about 25 minutes by car from central Queenstown
- By bus: Orbus Routes 2 and 4 stop at Arrowtown (Ramshaw Lane), about 200 m from the car park where the walk starts. Routes and fares are in the bus guide.
Is it open, and what is it like in winter?
Partly closed on 18 September 2026. 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. The loop's return leg on the true left below Tobins Bridge is inside both, so the full loop cannot be walked. The riverside from Ramshaw Lane to Tobins Bridge is outside the Trust's listed closure; the council's notice does not say where in Arrowtown its Swain Bridge closure begins, so follow any signs on the day. Check Queenstown Trails Trust trail alerts (opens in a new tab) on the day; conditions change quickly.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (September to November) | In spring 2026 the loop is only partly open (Trust alert bar, 15 September), so check the alerts before you go. The Trust notes lupins along the river in spring. |
| Summer (December to February) | Summer brings swimming: the Trust points to swimming holes along this stretch of the Arrow on hot days. It also advises water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat for this trail in summer. |
| Autumn (March to May) | Autumn is when Arrowtown's trees turn red and gold, and the Trust rates it the best season here. It also calls this one of the busiest sections of the Queenstown Trail, so expect company. |
| Winter (June to August) | The Trust describes the Arrow River Bridges Trail as one of the coldest parts of its network in winter, often frozen along the river. Expect frost and ice on the gravel, go in the warmest part of the day, and wear grippy shoes and warm, waterproof layers. |
What to know before you go
- Check the Queenstown Trails Trust alert bar before you go: on 18 September 2026 the Arrow River Bridges Trail is closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road, which takes in the loop's return leg. The council's 28 August 2026 storm update also lists the true left (Tobins side) as closed.
- The Trust also warns of mud, flooding, scour and washouts across its network after the heavy rain, so watch your footing near the river bank.
- This is a shared trail: bikes use it, Tobins footbridge is narrow, and the Trust asks riders to give way to walkers. Keep left and keep children close at the bridges.
- In winter the riverside holds frost and ice; the Trust calls this one of the coldest parts of its network, so wear grippy shoes and carry warm, waterproof layers.
- The Arrow River can rise quickly when it rains (DOC). Keep to the bridges and swim only in calm summer flows.
For emergencies call 111. The Queenstown safety guide covers the rest before a long or winter walk.
Questions people ask
How long is the Arrowtown Millennium Walk, and is it a loop?
DOC lists it as a 4 km loop taking about 1 hour; the Trust gives 3.25 km. Until the Trust lifts its closure below Tobins Bridge, walk out and back on the true right between Ramshaw Lane and Tobins Bridge.
Is the Arrowtown Millennium Walk open right now?
Partly. On 18 September 2026 the Trust lists the Arrow River Bridges Trail closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road, which includes the loop's return leg, and the council's storm update lists the true left (Tobins side) as closed. Check the alert bar on queenstowntrails.org.nz before you go.
Where does the Millennium Walk start, and where do I park?
At the council car park off Ramshaw Lane by Butler Green, or from Ford Street. There is a second car park beside Dudley's Cottage off Buckingham Street, and council toilets at the Ramshaw Lane end.
Can I get to the Arrowtown Millennium Walk by bus?
Yes. Orbus Routes 2 and 4 stop at Arrowtown (Ramshaw Lane), about 200 m from the start, for $2.50 with a Bee Card.
Are dogs and bikes allowed on the Millennium Walk?
DOC's brochure marks it dogs on a lead, and it is a shared Grade 2 trail, so expect bikes and keep left.
Is the Arrowtown Millennium Walk OK for kids?
On the published grade, yes: it is Grade 2, easy, and the Trust describes it as a family walk or ride. Keep children close at the narrow Tobins footbridge and by the river.
Can you swim in the Arrow River on the Millennium Walk?
The Trust points to swimming holes along this stretch on hot summer days. The river can rise quickly when it rains, so swim only in calm summer flows.
Is the Millennium Walk icy in winter?
Often. The Trust calls the Arrow River Bridges Trail one of the coldest parts of its network in winter, so go in the warmest part of the day and wear grippy shoes.
Nearby walks
- Chinese Settlement
Under 1 hour, at your own pace · Wheelchair accessible short walk
- Tobins Track
6.3 km return · 1 hour return · Easy to intermediate walking track
- Arrow Gorge Track
1.5 km one way · 25 minutes one way (about 1 hour return) · Easy to intermediate walking track
- Arrow River Bridges Trail
13.7 km one way · 2 to 3 hours by bike, 3 to 5 hours on foot · Grade 2, easy
Get the Thursday email
One expensive Queenstown decision a week, settled with dated prices and the free alternative, plus three things the week favours. Free. It also carries the one launch email, so you are on the app waitlist too.
One email every Thursday at 6am: one Queenstown decision settled with numbers, and three things the week favours. Plus one email when the app launches. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Related guides
- Arrowtown by bus: $2.50 from Queenstown or the airport
Route 4 from town, Route 2 from Frankton, $2.50 with a Bee Card, and the last bus back.
- The Queenstown Trail, section by section
Ten sections, over 150 km, with the Trails Trust's distances, grades and times, and the $2.50 bus back from each end.
- Queenstown safety: the numbers, the hills, the roads and the lake
111 and 105, the Land Safety Code, chains, the 10-degree lake, and why ACC is not travel insurance.
Sources: DOC, Queenstown day walks and bike trails brochure (March 2025), 18. Arrowtown Millennium Walk (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, Arrowtown Millennium Trail (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, trail alerts (site-wide alert bar) (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, FAQs (the trail is free to use) (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, Arrow River Bridges Trail (opens in a new tab), Destination Queenstown, Arrowtown walks (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Lakes District Council, parks assets data: reserve car parks (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Lakes District Council, parks assets data: toilets (opens in a new tab), Otago Regional Council, Orbus GTFS timetable feed (feed 260408-1230) (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Pocket, Queenstown drive times (opens in a new tab) and Queenstown Lakes District Council, Latest update on Queenstown Lakes weather event (28 August 2026, trail closures and cautions) (opens in a new tab), retrieved 18 September 2026. Distances, times and grades are the managing body's published figures; fit walkers are often quicker. 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.
All walks: Queenstown walks and tracks.