Moke Lake Loop Track
A 6 km loop around a lake in an open grassland basin ringed by mountains, reached by a steep road off the Glenorchy route that turns to gravel.
Published 15 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
Key facts
Open, with cautions. DOC listed no alerts for the loop on 18 September 2026 and its track record shows it open. DOC says the road to Moke Lake can be tricky and 4WD only in winter, and the campsite tap water is off from May to September. Checked 18 September 2026 on DOC, Moke Lake conservation campsite (opens in a new tab).
- Time
- 2 to 3 hours loop
- Distance
- 6 km loop
- Track type
- Loop
- Grade
- Easy to intermediate walking track
- Surface
- Undulating track through grassland, with a short boardwalk over a wetland at the southern end
- Winter
- Care needed in winter
- Starts at
- Moke Lake Reserve, by the campsite and picnic area
- Bus
- No Orbus stop within 1.2 km of the start
- Dogs
- No dogs
- Bikes
- Shared with bikes
- Toilets
- Non-flush toilets at Moke Lake campsite
- Buggies and wheelchairs
- Not suitable for buggies. Not wheelchair accessible
- Cost
- Free to walk; camping is booked and charged (adult $18 a night)
In short: Moke Lake Loop Track is a 6 km loop around Moke Lake that DOC times at 2 to 3 hours and grades an easy to intermediate walking track. It starts at Moke Lake Reserve by the campsite, at the end of Moke Lake Road off the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road.
What the track is like
The loop circles the lake through open grassland surrounded by mountains, and crosses a short boardwalk that protects a wetland at the southern end.
From Moke Lake Reserve by the campsite and picnic area, the track makes a full circuit of the lake. DOC times the 6 km loop at 2 to 3 hours and describes it as undulating, through grassland surrounded by mountains. The grade allows for some sections that are rough or muddy, so wear walking shoes or light boots.
At the southern end a short boardwalk crosses a wetland it is there to protect. The same end is where the Lake Dispute to Moke Lake Track joins the loop: DOC gives it 5.8 km and 2 to 3 hours one way over a short, steep saddle on a 4WD track through private farmland, and says either side of the loop takes about 1 hour 30 minutes between that junction and the campsite. The junction is the place to decide whether to push on towards Lake Dispute or finish the circuit.
Bikes share part of the loop. Erosion has closed the peninsula on the far side of the lake from the campsite, and the track sections either side of it, to mountain bikes; riders keep to the western side, and the closed section is signposted. Walkers can use the full loop.
How to get to the start
Drive the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road for about 10 minutes and turn onto Moke Lake Road (DOC's campsite page puts the turn 6 km west of Queenstown). The road is steep and winding, then gravel, passing a smaller lake before Moke Lake Reserve. DOC's loop page says about 8 km of gravel and its campsite page about 7 km. In winter DOC says the road can be tricky and 4WD only. There is no Orbus stop within walking distance: the nearest, O'Learys on route 1, is about 6.5 km away.
Moke Lake campsite has 75 non-powered sites that must be booked (adult $18, child $9, infants free per night; the DOC Campsite Pass applies), with non-flush toilets, a cooking shelter and untreated tap water that is off from May to September. If it is full, DOC points to Twelve Mile Delta Campsite on the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road, which does not require bookings.
- Start: Moke Lake Reserve, by the campsite and picnic area (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: At Moke Lake Reserve where the track starts (DOC publishes no car park size)
- From Queenstown: About 10 minutes along the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road to Moke Lake Road, then a steep, winding road that turns to gravel for 7 to 8 km (DOC)
- By bus: There is no Orbus stop within walking distance of Moke Lake: the nearest, O'Learys on route 1, is about 6.5 km away. 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. DOC listed no alerts for the loop on 18 September 2026 and its track record shows it open. DOC says the road to Moke Lake can be tricky and 4WD only in winter, and the campsite tap water is off from May to September. Check DOC, Moke Lake conservation campsite (opens in a new tab) on the day; conditions change quickly.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (September to November) | September is still inside the May to September period when DOC turns the campsite tap off. DOC's warning that the gravel road can be tricky and 4WD only is given for winter, so check conditions after any late snow before driving in. From October the tap is on, but DOC says the water is not treated and must be boiled before use. |
| Summer (December to February) | A camp manager is on site in summer and campsite bookings are required, with no spaces held for people who turn up without one. DOC lists swimming, boating, fishing and canoeing on the lake, with a 5 km/h boat speed limit. |
| Autumn (March to May) | DOC's brochure notes the higher tracks around Queenstown can carry snow and ice from autumn; the loop itself is undulating rather than alpine. The campsite tap goes off in May. |
| Winter (June to August) | DOC says the road in can be tricky and 4WD only in winter, and there is no tap water. The boardwalk and grass can be slippery when frosty, so go once the road is clear and carry your own water. |
What to know before you go
- The drive is the main cold-weather hazard: DOC says Moke Lake Road can be tricky and 4WD only in winter. If there is snow or ice on the gravel, choose a walk beside the main road instead.
- Carry drinking water. The campsite tap is untreated and must be boiled, and it is turned off from May to September.
- Expect bikes on the western side of the lake. DOC has closed the peninsula, and the track sections either side of it, to bikes because of erosion, and the closed section is signposted.
- The boardwalk and grass can be slippery on frosty mornings, and weather in the basin changes quickly, so carry a warm, waterproof layer.
- No dogs, and no fires at any time.
- Check DOC's page for alerts on the day; none were listed on 18 September 2026.
For emergencies call 111. The Queenstown safety guide covers the rest before a long or winter walk.
Questions people ask
How long is the Moke Lake loop?
DOC lists the Moke Lake Loop Track as a 6 km loop that takes 2 to 3 hours.
Is the road to Moke Lake OK for a normal car?
DOC describes a steep, winding road that turns to gravel for 7 to 8 km, and says it can be tricky and 4WD only in winter. Check conditions after snow or frost.
Can you bike around Moke Lake?
Only on the western side. Erosion has closed the peninsula on the far side from the campsite, and the sections either side of it, to mountain bikes, and the closure is signposted.
Are dogs allowed at Moke Lake?
No. DOC does not allow dogs on the loop or at the campsite.
Are there toilets and drinking water at Moke Lake?
The campsite has non-flush toilets. Its tap water is untreated and must be boiled, and it is turned off from May to September.
Can you walk from Moke Lake to Lake Dispute?
Yes. The Lake Dispute to Moke Lake Track leaves the southern end of the loop and is 5.8 km, 2 to 3 hours one way, over a short, steep saddle on a 4WD track through private farmland.
Can I get to Moke Lake by bus?
No. The nearest Orbus stop, O'Learys on route 1, is about 6.5 km away.
Can you swim at Moke Lake?
DOC lists swimming, boating, fishing and canoeing on the lake, with a 5 km/h boat speed limit.
Nearby walks
- Lake Dispute walk
5.6 km return · 1 hour 30 minutes return · Easy to intermediate walking track
- Moonlight Track
13.5 km one way · 4 hours one way · Easy to intermediate walking track
- Bob's Cove
1.5 km one way · 20 minutes to Bobs Cove, 30 minutes to Picnic Point, one way · Easy to intermediate
- Twelve Mile Delta track
6 km one way · 1 to 2 hours one way · Easy to intermediate
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Sources: DOC, Moke Lake Loop Track (opens in a new tab), DOC, Moke Lake conservation campsite (opens in a new tab), DOC, Lake Dispute to Moke Lake Track (opens in a new tab), DOC, Queenstown day walks and bike trails brochure (April 2025) (opens in a new tab) and Otago Regional Council, Orbus Queenstown GTFS (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.