Rees-Dart Track
A 4 to 5 day alpine tramp through the Rees and Dart valleys north of Glenorchy, now cut by a slip on the Dart side.
Published 15 September 2026 · Last checked 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
Key facts
Partly closed. On 18 September 2026 DOC has the Dart Track closed between Daleys Flat Hut and Chinamans Bluff by a large slip, until at least December 2026 with no reopening date, which makes the circuit impassable. The upper Snowy Creek bridge is also out for winter 2026 and is usually reinstalled in mid to late November, so crossing the creek is dangerous. Checked 18 September 2026 on DOC, Rees-Dart Track (alerts) (opens in a new tab).
- Time
- 4 to 5 days one way
- Distance
- 63 km one way between the Rees and Dart road ends
- Track type
- Multi-day
- High point
- 1,471 m at Rees Saddle
- Grade
- Advanced tramping track
- Surface
- Vehicle track and marker poles over boggy farmland, then marked track through beech forest and tussock basins, with narrow sidles and steep drop-offs above upper Snowy Creek
- Winter
- Not a winter walk
- Starts at
- Muddy Creek car park, Rees valley
- Bus
- No Orbus stop within 1.2 km of the start
- Dogs
- No dogs
- Toilets
- At Shelter Rock Hut and Dart Hut (flush toilets in season, pit toilets in winter)
- Buggies and wheelchairs
- Not suitable for buggies. Not wheelchair accessible
- Cost
- Hut fees: hut tickets or a Backcountry Hut Pass; adult $25 a night from 1 May to 30 September 2026, the only period the pass is accepted, and higher from 1 October
In short: The Rees-Dart Track is a 63 km, 4 to 5 day advanced tramping track from the Muddy Creek car park up the Rees valley, over the 1,471 m Rees Saddle and down the Dart valley to Chinamans Bluff. On 18 September 2026 a slip closes the Dart Track, so the circuit cannot be walked.
What the track is like
The track climbs the Rees valley through farmland and beech forest to tussock basins below Rees Saddle, then drops to Snowy Creek and the Dart valley, with the Dart Glacier among the features DOC names. Takahē were released into the Rees Valley in February 2025.
Muddy Creek to Shelter Rock Hut. A vehicle track, then marker poles across boggy ground, cross Rees Valley Station to a swing bridge at the national park boundary: 12 km and 4 to 5 hours. Stay on the track across this private farmland, leave gates as you find them and do not camp there. The track then climbs through beech forest past Clarke Slip to the 22-bunk Shelter Rock Hut: 7 km and 2 to 3 hours. The Waterfall Creek bridge on this section is damaged and cannot be used.
Shelter Rock Hut to Dart Hut. DOC gives 10 km and 4 to 6 hours, with no camping between the huts. The narrow track climbs a tussock basin to the 1,471 m Rees Saddle, then traverses steep slopes above Snowy Creek, dangerous when wet or snow covered, to the upper Snowy Creek bridge (when it is in place) and the 32-bunk Dart Hut. Follow the marker poles: DOC says people have been injured going off track here.
The closure. A large slip between Daleys Flat Hut and Chinamans Bluff closes the Dart Track until at least December 2026. DOC's options are Muddy Creek to Dart Hut and back; the Cascade Saddle Route to Dart Hut and out along the Rees, a complex alpine route above 1,500 m where DOC warns a fall can be fatal; or a pre-booked Heli Glenorchy transfer over the slip section. Te Korokā (Dart/Slip Stream) Specially Protected Area, on the true right of the Dart, is entry by permit only and is not a way around.
Huts. Shelter Rock Hut and Dart Hut are serviced huts; boil the tap water and bring your own cooker. DOC's track page says beds are first come, first served, but a 27 August 2026 alert says bookings open on 21 November 2026, so confirm before you go.
How to get to the start
Both road ends are beyond Glenorchy on roads with fords that DOC says can be difficult in wet weather. The Rees Track starts at the Muddy Creek car park, 68 km from Queenstown and, according to Destination Queenstown, 50 minutes from Glenorchy; Muddy Creek washes out suddenly, so DOC advises against leaving a vehicle on the far side. The council lists Rees Valley Road, the way to Muddy Creek, as reopened after the late August 2026 storm and asks drivers to take care (read 18 September 2026). The Dart Track starts 76 km from Queenstown at Chinamans Bluff, on a fine-weather 2WD road whose last 6 km is subject to washouts and flooding.
There is no Orbus stop within walking distance of either end (the nearest are about 36 km and 46 km away). DOC's brochure says transport providers serve both tracks in summer; while the Dart is closed, plan to walk out the way you went in.
- Start: Muddy Creek car park, Rees valley (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: Car park at Muddy Creek; the creek washes out suddenly, so DOC advises against leaving a vehicle on the far side
- From Queenstown: 68 km from Queenstown via Glenorchy (DOC); Destination Queenstown puts the car park 50 minutes from Glenorchy, with fords on the way
- Finish: Chinamans Bluff road end, Dart valley (directions (opens in a new tab)).
- Parking: Road end at Chinamans Bluff, on a fine-weather 2WD road whose last 6 km is subject to washouts and flooding (DOC)
- From Queenstown: 76 km from Queenstown via Glenorchy (DOC)
- By bus: There is no Orbus stop within walking distance of either road end: the nearest stops are about 36 km from Muddy Creek and 46 km from Chinamans Bluff. 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 DOC has the Dart Track closed between Daleys Flat Hut and Chinamans Bluff by a large slip, until at least December 2026 with no reopening date, which makes the circuit impassable. The upper Snowy Creek bridge is also out for winter 2026 and is usually reinstalled in mid to late November, so crossing the creek is dangerous. Check DOC, Rees-Dart Track (alerts) (opens in a new tab) on the day; conditions change quickly.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (September to November) | Avalanche paths are typically active from May to November, and the upper Snowy Creek bridge usually returns in mid to late November, sometimes December. Before a spring trip, confirm with the Queenstown Visitor Centre that it is in. |
| Summer (December to February) | DOC's best window is late November to the end of April, with hut wardens from November, though snow, high wind and heavy rain remain possible in the upper Rees and Snowy Creek and afternoon snowmelt raises side streams. |
| Autumn (March to May) | DOC warns that avalanche paths near Shelter Rock Hut and Dart Hut make travel hazardous from late autumn, and the upper Snowy Creek bridge comes out in mid-May. |
| Winter (June to August) | DOC warns that from May to October only experienced mountaineers can get through on the Rees-Dart tracks, with heavy snow in the upper Rees and Snowy Creek. Huts have reduced facilities, pit toilets, no rangers and no emergency radio. |
What to know before you go
- Check DOC's alerts and ask the Whakatipu-wai-Māori/Queenstown Visitor Centre (03 442 7935) before you go; on 18 September 2026 the Dart Track was closed by a slip and the upper Snowy Creek bridge was out.
- From May to October the track is for experienced mountaineers only, and DOC's gear list adds an ice axe, crampons, an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, a personal locator beacon, a stove and food for at least two extra days.
- DOC rates the last 1.5 km before Shelter Rock Hut and all of Shelter Rock Hut to Dart Hut complex avalanche terrain, and the Dart from the Whitbourn River confluence to Dart Hut challenging. Without alpine gear and experience you risk being trapped at Dart Hut.
- Rivers flood after heavy rain and in snowmelt, worst at Cattle Flat, in the lower Dart, on the Cascade Saddle Route and in upper Snowy Creek. If a crossing looks unsafe, wait, and carry an emergency shelter and spare food.
- Do not use the damaged Waterfall Creek bridge, or cross that creek in heavy rain or high flows.
- Mobile coverage in the Glenorchy area is only in the township (DOC): carry a distress beacon and leave your intentions with someone.
For emergencies call 111. The Queenstown safety guide covers the rest before a long or winter walk.
Questions people ask
Is the Rees-Dart Track open?
Partly. A slip closes the Dart Track between Daleys Flat Hut and Chinamans Bluff until at least December 2026, so the circuit cannot be walked. DOC's options are Muddy Creek to Dart Hut and back, the Cascade Saddle Route in and the Rees out, or a pre-booked helicopter transfer over the slip. The upper Snowy Creek bridge is out for winter.
How long is the Rees-Dart Track?
DOC gives 63 km one way, walked in 4 to 5 days.
How hard is the Rees-Dart Track?
DOC grades it an advanced tramping track: a narrow track with steep drop-offs over the 1,471 m Rees Saddle, side streams that flood, and complex avalanche terrain between Shelter Rock Hut and Dart Hut.
Can you walk the Rees-Dart Track in winter?
Only if you are an experienced mountaineer carrying the alpine and avalanche gear DOC lists for May to October.
When does the Snowy Creek bridge go back in?
Usually in mid to late November, depending on avalanche conditions, and sometimes as late as December. Check with the Queenstown Visitor Centre before a spring trip.
Do I need to book Rees-Dart huts?
DOC's track page says first come, first served, but a DOC alert says bookings open on 21 November 2026, so confirm with the Queenstown Visitor Centre.
Are dogs allowed on the Rees-Dart Track?
No. DOC does not allow dogs on the Rees-Dart Track.
Nearby walks
- Routeburn day walks
7.5 km one way to Routeburn Flats Hut and 9.8 km one way to Routeburn Falls Hut, back the same way; the Nature Walk is a short loop with no published distance · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes one way to Routeburn Flats Hut; 3 to 4 hours one way to Routeburn Falls Hut; Nature Walk loop 40 minutes to 1 hour · Routeburn Track: intermediate tramping track in the Great Walks season, advanced tramping track and expert route from May to October. Routeburn Nature Walk: easy short walk
- Invincible Mine
4.5 km return · 3 hours return · Easy to intermediate
- Lake Sylvan
5.3 km loop, returning by the 1920s tramline · 40 minutes one way to the viewing platform, or 1 hour 40 minutes for the loop · Easy to intermediate
- Glenorchy Walkway
3.2 km loop, with a larger and a smaller option (Destination Queenstown) · 1 to 2 hours, depending on pace and which loop · Easy to intermediate walking track
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- The Routeburn Track from Queenstown: getting there and what it costs
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Sources: DOC, Rees-Dart Track (opens in a new tab), DOC, Rees and Dart Track brochure (opens in a new tab), DOC, Be avalanche alert in Wakatipu and Wānaka (opens in a new tab), DOC, Glenorchy area (opens in a new tab), Destination Queenstown, Glenorchy walks and hikes (opens in a new tab), Otago Regional Council, Orbus Queenstown GTFS (opens in a new tab) and Queenstown Lakes District Council, Roading impacts in Queenstown Lakes (28 August 2026, updated since) (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.
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