Countryside Trail
Arrowtown to the Old Lower Shotover Bridge across the Whakatipu Basin: 12.8 km of gravel through Millbrook Resort and over Slope Hill.
Published 15 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
Key facts
Open, with cautions. On 18 September 2026 the Trust lists no closure on the Countryside Trail, but a network-wide heavy-rain warning covers mud, flooding, scour and washouts. Nearby, the Arrow River Bridges Trail is closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road and the Lower Shotover Conservation Area is flooded. The council's storm update of 28 August 2026 also advises caution on the Wharehuanui Trail from Coronet Station Road to Millbrook, which meets this trail at Streamside Lane, for scours and an uneven surface. Checked 18 September 2026 on Queenstown Trails Trust, Countryside Trail page and alert bar (opens in a new tab).
- Time
- 2.5 to 4 hours walking, 1.5 to 3 hours by bike, one way
- Distance
- 12.8 km one way
- Track type
- One way
- Grade
- Grade 3, intermediate
- Surface
- Well-maintained gravel, generally over 2 m wide, with sections shared with Slope Hill Road and roads through Millbrook Resort
- Winter
- Good in winter
- Starts at
- Dudley's Cottage, Arrowtown River car park
- Bus
- Route 2 and Route 4 at Ramshaw Lane, 47, about 300 m from the start
- Dogs
- Dogs under control
- Bikes
- Shared with bikes
- Children
- Grade 3: the Trust suits riders over 12, with children accompanied by an adult
- Cost
- Free
In short: The Countryside Trail runs 12.8 km one way from Dudley's Cottage in Arrowtown to the Old Lower Shotover Bridge, through Millbrook and over Slope Hill. Allow 2.5 to 4 hours walking or 1.5 to 3 hours by bike. It is Grade 3 (intermediate), with steep pinches at Sharp Rise and Cardiac Climb.
What the track is like
Millbrook's avenue of trees and resort grounds, the descent from Sharp Rise towards the Remarkables, the Slope Hill Reserve where more than 20,000 native trees have been planted, willows beside the Shotover, and the Old Lower Shotover Bridge, rebuilt in 1915 and restored by the Rotary Club of Queenstown.
The trail starts beside Dudley's Cottage at the Arrowtown River car park and crosses Manse Road within a few minutes. It winds through Millbrook Resort, where you stick to the marked route and share the roads with care, and meets the Wharehuanui Trail at Streamside Lane.
Leaving Millbrook it climbs Sharp Rise, the steep pinch between Millbrook and Lake Hayes; the Trust notes some riders walk it, and the descent needs speed control. The trail drops to Speargrass Flat Road past Ayrburn and turns at Slopehill Road. Here you can follow Rutherford Road to the Waiwhakaata Lake Hayes Trail, or continue through the wetland and over Slope Hill.
Slope Hill is a longer, steady climb in either direction, partly on the shared Slope Hill Road, past the Slope Hill Reserve plantings. The trail then crosses Dalefield and descends a steep hill to the Shotover River; this pinch, Cardiac Climb, links the river to the terrace above near Domain Road.
The last stretch weaves through willows beside the river to the Old Lower Shotover Bridge, where the Twin Rivers Trail crosses to Frankton and the Tucker Beach Trail starts on the western side. Walkers wanting a shorter day can finish at Lake Hayes by Rutherford Road, or start from the bridge and turn back before Slope Hill.
How to get to the start
In Arrowtown the trail starts at the Arrowtown River car park beside Dudley's Cottage, near the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement and Butlers Green. The Old Lower Shotover Bridge end has parking at each end of the bridge, reached off SH6 on either side of the river. The Trust notes Queenstown sits at the lowest point of the basin, so riding from Arrowtown towards Queenstown is the easier direction.
Orbus Routes 2 and 4 stop at Arrowtown (Ramshaw Lane), about 340 m from the start, and Route 3 stops at Quail Rise, near Portree Drive, about 270 m in a straight line from the bridge, with Routes 3 and 5 at Tucker Beach Road about 660 m away; fares are $2.50 with a Bee Card. Every urban Orbus bus has a bike rack that carries bikes free, subject to space, taking wheels larger than 16 inches and e-bikes up to 25 kg (ORC), and the Trust lists transport operators for bikes.
- Start: Dudley's Cottage, Arrowtown River car park (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: Arrowtown River car park beside Dudley's Cottage, near the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement and Butlers Green
- Finish: Old Lower Shotover Bridge (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: Parking at each end of the bridge, reached off SH6 on either side of the river
- By bus: Orbus Routes 2 and 4 stop at Arrowtown (Ramshaw Lane), about 340 m from the Dudley's Cottage start, and Route 3 stops at Quail Rise, near Portree Drive, about 270 m from the Old Lower Shotover Bridge finish. Routes and fares are in the bus guide.
Is it open, and what is it like in winter?
Open, with cautions on 18 September 2026. On 18 September 2026 the Trust lists no closure on the Countryside Trail, but a network-wide heavy-rain warning covers mud, flooding, scour and washouts. Nearby, the Arrow River Bridges Trail is closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road and the Lower Shotover Conservation Area is flooded. The council's storm update of 28 August 2026 also advises caution on the Wharehuanui Trail from Coronet Station Road to Millbrook, which meets this trail at Streamside Lane, for scours and an uneven surface. Check Queenstown Trails Trust, Countryside Trail page and alert bar (opens in a new tab) on the day; conditions change quickly.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (September to November) | September to November runs 8 to 17°C by the Trust's figures, and it rates spring among the best times to ride. With the Trust's heavy-rain warning still up this September, check its alerts for mud and washouts before a long one-way day. |
| Summer (December to February) | December to March runs from the mid-teens to the late 20s. Take water, sunscreen and a hat or visor, as the Trust advises; Arrowtown, Millbrook and Ayrburn have cafes and restaurants along the way. |
| Autumn (March to May) | April and May run 8 to 16°C. The Trust singles out autumn colour around Arrowtown, where the Arrowtown Autumn Festival is held in April. |
| Winter (June to August) | June to August runs from -2 to 10°C; carry warm and waterproof layers, as the Trust advises. Control your speed on the steep descents of Sharp Rise and Cardiac Climb, as the Trust asks. |
What to know before you go
- Check the Trust's alerts before you go: on 18 September 2026 it warns of mud, flooding, scour and washouts across the network, and the connecting Arrow River Bridges Trail is closed between Tobins Bridge and Whitechapel Road.
- About 1 km from the Old Lower Shotover Bridge, at the bottom of Cardiac Climb, a signposted turn-off leads onto the Lower Shotover Conservation Area trail. It is not part of this trail: it is Grade 5 technical singletrack that crosses the river bed, and on 18 September 2026 the Trust lists it as flooded.
- Sharp Rise and Cardiac Climb are steep enough that the Trust says some riders walk them; control your speed on the way down.
- Several sections share roads, including Slope Hill Road and the roads through Millbrook Resort: keep left and follow the road rules.
- The Trust allows dogs under control. Stay on the marked trail through Millbrook Resort and private land, and leave gates as you find them.
- At 2.5 to 4 hours on foot this is a long one-way walk: carry water, food, and warm and waterproof layers.
For emergencies call 111. The Queenstown safety guide covers the rest before a long or winter walk.
Questions people ask
How long is the Countryside Trail?
12.8 km one way by the Queenstown Trails Trust's figure, from Dudley's Cottage in Arrowtown to the Old Lower Shotover Bridge. The Trust gives 2.5 to 4 hours walking or 1.5 to 3 hours by bike.
Is the Countryside Trail flat?
No. It is Grade 3 (intermediate), with a longer climb over Slope Hill and steep pinches at Sharp Rise and Cardiac Climb.
Where does the Countryside Trail start in Arrowtown?
Beside Dudley's Cottage at the Arrowtown River car park, near the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement and Butlers Green.
Can I do the Countryside Trail by bus?
Yes, at both ends. Routes 2 and 4 stop at Arrowtown (Ramshaw Lane), about 340 m from the start, and Route 3 stops at Quail Rise, near Portree Drive, about 270 m from the Old Lower Shotover Bridge. Fares are $2.50 with a Bee Card.
Which direction is easier on the Countryside Trail?
Arrowtown towards the Old Lower Shotover Bridge, heading down the basin. The Trust notes Queenstown sits at the lowest point of the basin, so that direction is the easier ride.
Does the Countryside Trail connect to Lake Hayes?
Yes. At Slopehill Road you can follow Rutherford Road to the Waiwhakaata Lake Hayes Trail.
Can I take a dog on the Countryside Trail?
The Trust allows dogs under control. Stay on the marked trail through Millbrook Resort and private land, and leave gates as you find them.
Nearby walks
- Lake Hayes loop
8 km loop · 2 to 3 hours walking, about 1 hour by bike · Grade 3, intermediate
- Arrowtown Millennium Walk
4 km loop · 1 hour (loop) · Grade 2, easy
- Tucker Beach Trail
4.4 km one way · 1 hour 10 minutes walking, 30 minutes by bike, one way · Grade 2, easy
- Twin Rivers Trail
18.5 km one way · 4 to 5 hours walking, 2 to 3 hours by bike, one way · Grade 3, intermediate
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Related guides
- 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 bus routes & fares
All six Orbus routes, the $2.50 airport bus, Bee Card vs cash fares and the ferry.
- 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: Queenstown Trails Trust, Countryside Trail (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, trail alerts (site-wide alert bar) (opens in a new tab), DOC, Whakatipu basin day walks and bike trails brochure (March 2025) (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, FAQs (dogs, seasons, coverage) (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, understanding trail grades (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, Twin Rivers Trail (Old Lower Shotover Bridge history) (opens in a new tab), Otago Regional Council, what you can take on the bus (bike racks) (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Trails Trust, Lower Shotover Conservation Area (turn-off at Cardiac Climb) (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. Start coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). 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.