Mount Dewar
The short climb from Skippers Saddle to the 1,310 m summit of Mount Dewar, and the start of the longer Devils Creek and Atleys tracks.
Published 15 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
Key facts
Open, with cautions. No DOC alert covered Mount Dewar or Skippers Saddle on 18 September 2026. The council has Skippers Road and Branches Road closed at the Saddle because of multiple slips, with slips and rock falls between Deep Creek and Blue Slip, and its next update is due 21 September 2026 (read 18 September 2026). The track starts at the saddle, the closure point; the notice does not say whether the parking by the cattle grid can be used, so check the council's update before driving up. Checked 18 September 2026 on Queenstown Lakes District Council, Roading impacts in Queenstown Lakes (Skippers Road) (opens in a new tab).
- Time
- 1 hour one way to the summit
- Distance
- 2.5 km one way to the summit
- Track type
- Return the same way
- High point
- 1,310 m
- Grade
- Advanced tramping track
- Surface
- 4WD track and tussock grassland, moderately steep
- Winter
- Not a winter walk
- Starts at
- Skippers Saddle, on the road to Skippers off Coronet Peak Road
- Bus
- No Orbus stop within 1.2 km of the start
- Dogs
- No dogs
- Bikes
- Bikes allowed
- Buggies and wheelchairs
- Not suitable for buggies. Not wheelchair accessible
- Cost
- Free
In short: Mount Dewar is a 2.5 km, 1 hour one way climb from Skippers Saddle to the 1,310 m summit, on a 4WD track and through tussock grassland. DOC's brochure marks it an advanced tramping track. Return the same way, or continue on Devils Creek Track or Atleys Track.
What the track is like
The summit looks out over the Whakatipu Basin, and the tussock ridge sits above the Shotover country where the 1862 gold rush drew thousands of miners.
Park at Skippers Saddle near the cattle grid, cross the wooden stile beside the locked gate and follow the access road uphill. DOC's brochure describes a moderately steep climb on a 4WD track and through tussock grassland, 2.5 km and 1 hour one way to the summit of Mount Dewar at 1,310 m.
Transmission towers stand near the top. A short distance past them a signposted junction marks the start of the Devils Creek Track, and Atleys Track leaves the top of Mount Dewar on a 4WD track down towards the Shotover River.
For most people the summit is the turnaround, walked back the same way. Going further means an advanced tramping track of 5 to 6 hours or more, private land and a finish away from the car at the saddle, so decide at the summit with the weather and the time in front of you.
Bikes are allowed (the brochure shows cycle Grade 3), but DOC says the track is steep and most bikers will need to push.
How to get to the start
From Queenstown take Gorge Road to Arthurs Point and turn up Coronet Peak Road. After about 4 km turn left onto the unsealed road signposted to Skippers and continue to Skippers Saddle, where DOC provides parking areas near the cattle grid. The road is administered by the Queenstown Lakes District Council. On 18 September 2026 the council has Skippers Road closed at the Saddle because of multiple slips; the notice puts the closure at the saddle itself, where the track starts, and does not say whether the parking there can be used, so check its next update, due 21 September 2026, before driving up.
Beyond the saddle Skippers Road is narrow and winding with very steep drops, and DOC's Skippers brochure says rental cars are generally prohibited past Skippers Saddle; the track starts at the saddle, but check your rental agreement for the unsealed road up to it. There is no Orbus stop within walking distance: the nearest, Arthurs Point (Coronet Hotels) on route 4, is about 4.7 km away.
- Start: Skippers Saddle, on the road to Skippers off Coronet Peak Road (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: In the areas provided near the cattle grid at Skippers Saddle (DOC)
- From Queenstown: Gorge Road to Arthurs Point, up Coronet Peak Road, then left onto the unsealed road signposted to Skippers after about 4 km (DOC)
- By bus: There is no Orbus stop within walking distance of Skippers Saddle: the nearest, Arthurs Point (Coronet Hotels) on route 4, is about 4.7 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. No DOC alert covered Mount Dewar or Skippers Saddle on 18 September 2026. The council has Skippers Road and Branches Road closed at the Saddle because of multiple slips, with slips and rock falls between Deep Creek and Blue Slip, and its next update is due 21 September 2026 (read 18 September 2026). The track starts at the saddle, the closure point; the notice does not say whether the parking by the cattle grid can be used, so check the council's update before driving up. Check Queenstown Lakes District Council, Roading impacts in Queenstown Lakes (Skippers Road) (opens in a new tab) on the day; conditions change quickly.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (September to November) | DOC's brochure says the higher tracks around Queenstown can carry snow and ice from autumn through winter and often into spring, and the summit is 1,310 m. In September and October check conditions with the DOC Queenstown Visitor Centre, and in 2026 the council's Skippers Road closure at the saddle, before driving the unsealed road up. |
| Summer (December to February) | Long days leave time to carry on along Devils Creek Track or Atleys Track if you are equipped for an advanced tramp. The tussock gives no shade, so carry water and sun protection. |
| Autumn (March to May) | Snow and ice can return to the higher tracks from autumn (DOC). The road to the saddle is unsealed, so drive it in daylight. |
| Winter (June to August) | Rated avoid for June to August here: the summit is 1,310 m, DOC says higher tracks are exposed to snow and ice through winter, and the saddle is reached on an unsealed road, with Skippers Road beyond it a road DOC says only experienced drivers should attempt. |
What to know before you go
- Snow and ice: DOC says the higher tracks can be exposed to snow and ice from autumn through winter and often into spring. The summit is 1,310 m and exposed to wind.
- Access: the road is unsealed, and DOC says only experienced drivers should attempt Skippers Road, which has precipitous drop-offs beyond the saddle. The council has Skippers Road closed at the Saddle after slips (read 18 September 2026).
- DOC's advanced tramping grade is for people with moderate to high fitness and backcountry experience, with navigation and survival skills, and calls for tramping boots. Take a warm and waterproof layer, water and sun protection even for the short summit trip.
- Cross by the stile beside the locked gate, stay on the track and leave any gates as you find them. No dogs.
- If you continue to Devils Creek or Atleys, DOC asks you to leave your plans with a trusted contact and carry a distress beacon.
For emergencies call 111. The Queenstown safety guide covers the rest before a long or winter walk.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to walk up Mt Dewar?
DOC's brochure gives 1 hour and 2.5 km one way from Skippers Saddle to the 1,310 m summit. Most people return the same way.
Where does the Mt Dewar track start, and where do I park?
At Skippers Saddle on the unsealed road to Skippers, off Coronet Peak Road. Park in the areas near the cattle grid and cross the stile beside the locked gate. The council's Skippers Road closure, read on 18 September 2026, is at the saddle, and it does not say whether that parking can be used.
Can I take a rental car to Skippers Saddle?
DOC's Skippers brochure says rental cars are generally prohibited beyond Skippers Saddle, where the track starts. The road up to the saddle is unsealed, so check your rental agreement.
How high is Mt Dewar?
1,310 m, according to DOC's brochure.
Can you bike up Mt Dewar?
Bikes are allowed, but DOC says the track is steep and most bikers will need to push.
Is there snow on Mt Dewar in September?
There can be. DOC says the higher tracks around Queenstown can carry snow and ice from autumn through winter and often into spring.
Can I get to Mt Dewar by bus?
No. The nearest Orbus stop, Arthurs Point (Coronet Hotels) on route 4, is about 4.7 km from Skippers Saddle.
Nearby walks
- Devils Creek
8.1 km one way · 6 hours one way · Advanced tramping track
- Atleys Track
13.7 km one way · 5 to 6 hours one way · Advanced tramping track
- Morningstar Track
2 km one way, back the same way · 30 minutes one way · Walking track (DOC describes it as a short, easy walk)
- Oxenbridge Tunnel
1 km return · 20 minutes return · Easy to intermediate
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Sources: DOC, Queenstown day walks and bike trails brochure (April 2025) (opens in a new tab), DOC, Devils Creek Track (opens in a new tab), DOC, Skippers area (opens in a new tab), DOC, Skippers: walks and tracks in the Shotover valley (brochure) (opens in a new tab), OpenStreetMap (Nominatim), Skippers Saddle (opens in a new tab), Otago Regional Council, Orbus Queenstown GTFS (opens in a new tab), Queenstown Lakes District Council, Roading impacts in Queenstown Lakes (28 August 2026, updated since) (opens in a new tab) and DOC, Walking track categories (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.