Moonlight Track
A one way crossing of old goldfields country between Moke Lake and Arthurs Point, on station farm road and then a narrow track above the Shotover River.
Published 15 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
Key facts
Open, with cautions. No closure notice was found on 18 September 2026, but no managing body publishes a live status page for this track: DOC lists it in its day walks brochure without a track page or alerts, and it crosses private land managed by Ben Lomond Station. Ask the DOC Queenstown Visitor Centre about conditions before you go. Checked 18 September 2026 on DOC, Queenstown day walks and bike trails brochure (opens in a new tab).
- Time
- 4 hours one way
- Distance
- 13.5 km one way
- Track type
- One way
- Grade
- Easy to intermediate walking track
- Surface
- Station farm road with a couple of short, steep climbs, then narrow single track with sometimes overgrown sections and steep drop-offs
- Winter
- Not a winter walk
- Starts at
- Moke Lake campsite
- 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 (start)
- Buggies and wheelchairs
- Not suitable for buggies. Not wheelchair accessible
- Cost
- Free
In short: The Moonlight Track runs 13.5 km one way from Moke Lake campsite to McChesney Road in Arthurs Point, and DOC times it at 4 hours. DOC's brochure marks it an easy to intermediate walking track: station farm road past Sefferstown, then narrow single track above the Shotover River. Arrange transport at the far end.
What the track is like
The farm road above Moke Creek passes the remains of Sefferstown, an old mining settlement, and Destination Queenstown notes the remains of the 1880s Moke Creek stone school about five minutes below it. The last stretch sidles high above the Shotover River into Arthurs Point.
From Moke Lake campsite the route follows the Ben Lomond Station farm road above Moke Creek, with a couple of short, steep climbs, to the remains of the old mining settlement of Sefferstown. Destination Queenstown places the ruins of the 1880s Moke Creek stone school about five minutes below Sefferstown.
At Sefferstown the farm road forks. Keep right, pass the sign to Ben Lomond Saddle, then turn right onto the Moonlight Track proper. From here it is single track that sidles high above the Shotover River to Arthurs Point and finishes at McChesney Road. DOC's brochure warns of narrow, sometimes overgrown sections and steep drop-offs.
DOC times the full 13.5 km at 4 hours one way; Destination Queenstown gives 4 to 5 hours. It can be walked or biked in either direction. For a shorter outing, start at Arthurs Point and turn back before you reach the farm track, which gives views over the Shotover River without the transport problem.
The track crosses private land managed by Ben Lomond Station, so stay on it and leave gates as you find them. At the saddle sign, a poled route climbs to Ben Lomond Saddle and the Ben Lomond Track. DOC describes that link as a challenging, weather-exposed full day that is often muddy with several stream crossings, and says to be prepared for snow and ice above the bushline from April to November.
How to get to the start
The Moke Lake start is at the end of Moke Lake Road: about 10 minutes out along the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road, then a steep, winding road that turns to gravel for 7 to 8 km (DOC). DOC says that road can be tricky and 4WD only in winter. There is no Orbus stop within walking distance of Moke Lake.
The Arthurs Point end is on McChesney Road. Orbus route 4 (Jacks Point to Arrowtown via Queenstown) stops at McChesney Rd about 300 m away, so walking from Moke Lake towards Arthurs Point lets you ride back to Queenstown for $2.50 with a Bee Card. You still need a lift or a second car to reach Moke Lake.
- Start: Moke Lake campsite (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: At Moke Lake Reserve by the campsite (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)
- Finish: McChesney Road, Arthurs Point (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- By bus: Route 4 (Jacks Point to Arrowtown via Queenstown) stops at McChesney Rd, about 300 m from the Arthurs Point end, but there is no Orbus stop within walking distance of the Moke Lake start. 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. No closure notice was found on 18 September 2026, but no managing body publishes a live status page for this track: DOC lists it in its day walks brochure without a track page or alerts, and it crosses private land managed by Ben Lomond Station. Ask the DOC Queenstown Visitor Centre about conditions before you go. Check DOC, Queenstown day walks and bike trails brochure (opens in a new tab) on the day; conditions change quickly.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (September to November) | DOC's warning to be prepared for snow and ice above the bushline from April to November applies to the poled route up to Ben Lomond Saddle that branches off this track. On the Moonlight Track itself, start early in September and October: the full walk is 4 hours one way and Destination Queenstown allows up to 5. |
| Summer (December to February) | Destination Queenstown gives summer as the best time to go. Long days make the one way walk and the transport at each end easier to arrange, and the track can be walked or biked in either direction. |
| Autumn (March to May) | DOC's brochure notes the higher tracks around Queenstown can be exposed to snow and ice from autumn. Daylight shortens quickly, and the narrow sidle above the Shotover River is no place to finish in the dark. |
| Winter (June to August) | Rated avoid for June to August here: 4 to 5 hours one way in short daylight, transport needed at both ends, and narrow track with steep drop-offs. DOC's brochure describes a shorter out and back from Arthurs Point, but that end is the narrow single track with the drop-offs. |
What to know before you go
- Steep drop-offs on narrow, sometimes overgrown single track above the Shotover River. DOC notes bikers may want to walk some sections, so walkers should expect riders stopping or pushing.
- It is one way: 13.5 km and 4 hours by DOC, 4 to 5 hours by Destination Queenstown. Confirm the pick-up before you start and plan daylight around the longer figure, with a headtorch in the pack.
- DOC says the weather in this area can change quickly at any time of year: carry a warm, waterproof layer, food and water.
- Do not take the poled route to Ben Lomond Saddle unless equipped for it: DOC says to be prepared for snow and ice above the bushline from April to November.
- No dogs. The track crosses Ben Lomond Station land, so keep to it and away from stock.
- No live status page exists for this track; the DOC Queenstown Visitor Centre (+64 3 442 7935) is the place to ask about conditions.
For emergencies call 111. The Queenstown safety guide covers the rest before a long or winter walk.
Questions people ask
How long does the Moonlight Track take?
DOC gives 4 hours one way for the 13.5 km; Destination Queenstown gives 4 to 5 hours one way.
Is the Moonlight Track a loop?
No. It runs one way from Moke Lake campsite to McChesney Road in Arthurs Point, so arrange transport at the other end or walk a shorter out and back from Arthurs Point.
Can I get the bus back from the Moonlight Track?
At the Arthurs Point end, yes: route 4 stops at McChesney Rd about 300 m from the finish. There is no bus at Moke Lake.
Is the Moonlight Track hard?
DOC's brochure marks it an easy to intermediate walking track, but it is 13.5 km one way, and the single track is narrow and sometimes overgrown with steep drop-offs.
Can you bike the Moonlight Track?
Yes, in either direction. DOC's brochure shows intermediate and advanced cycle grades and says bikers may wish to walk some sections.
Are dogs allowed on the Moonlight Track?
No. DOC's brochure marks it as a no dogs track, and it crosses Ben Lomond Station land.
Can you walk the Moonlight Track in winter?
This page rates it avoid from June to August: 4 to 5 hours one way in short daylight on narrow track with drop-offs. The out and back from Arthurs Point is the shorter option.
Nearby walks
- Moke Lake loop
6 km loop · 2 to 3 hours loop · Easy to intermediate walking track
- 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
- Oxenbridge Tunnel
1 km return · 20 minutes return · Easy to intermediate
- Morningstar Track
2 km one way, back the same way · 30 minutes one way · Walking track (DOC describes it as a short, easy walk)
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Sources: DOC, Queenstown day walks and bike trails brochure (April 2025), track 27 (opens in a new tab), DOC, Moke Lake conservation campsite (opens in a new tab), DOC, Moke Lake Loop Track (road directions) (opens in a new tab), Destination Queenstown, Moonlight Track (opens in a new tab), OpenStreetMap (Nominatim), McChesney Road and Moonlight Track, Arthurs Point (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. 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.