Walks Around Queenstown
Taken from our Flashmagpie blog: 13/07/2015
Hiking, trekking, tramping; call it what you will, but an extended walk in the wilderness with some forest or mountains thrown in is my number one outdoor activity. Some nature, fresh air and exercise really gets those endorphins going. And it's free!
Luckily we are in a great spot for hiking. There are plenty of short (up to an hour), medium (2 to 4 hours) and long (4 hours plus) walks as well as multi-day hikes. We have done pretty much all of the short to medium ones in the immediate area and are looking to do some of the longer ones when the snow clears a bit after winter.
The pic above is in a beech forest off the Mt Crichton track between Queenstown and Glenorchy. This is an easy/ intermediate 2-3 hour loop. There is not too much scrambling or elevation. A couple of good view points. Sam Summers hut can be explored about half way around the loop.
The above was also from Mt Crichton Loop Track. The track winds along both sides of the Twelve Mile Creek and is quite sheltered the whole way.
On the way to the Mt Crichton Track, there is a turn off to Moke Lake. You can drive up to Moke Lake Reserve which has camping facilities. The loop around the lake is very easy and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. The day that we went was wet and there was part of the track that was under about a foot of water with one small rock in the middle to use for crossing. It was impossible to not get wet but my amazing Berghaus waterproof boots stopped the worst of it.
The below two pics are from this track.
Apparently Moke Lake is a favourite spot for galaxy gazing. A lot of photos were taken there of the auroras and the Milky Way.
Queenstown Hill (below) is another one easily accessible from Queenstown itself and offers some great views. It is a good couple of hours return but it depends where your starting point is. Pretty easy but a constant uphill.
The above is during the climb up to Bobs Peak, better known as Skyline Gondola's drop off point. I'm sure the gondola is great, but I prefer to walk! It took just under an hour one way- intermediate level. It has parts that are quite steep and you have to scramble over some roots and rocks. And watch out for the downhill bikers as they cross paths! When we got to the top, we spent the money we saved on the gondola to have a couple of rides on the luge. The luge is actually a lot of fun and you get some speed up on the second track.
Another relatively easy walk is the circular track around Lake Hayes. Perhaps doesn't have the views you would get going up a mountain, but it is a lovely lake with changing scenery. The above pictures don't really do it justice. It takes about 1-2 hours to complete the lake at a leisurely pace.
These last two are from the Saw Pit Gully Loop in Arrowtown. Really enjoyed this loop track. It takes you across a few different terrains including a plateau called Eichardt's Flat. 2-3 hours intermediate. Can get quite muddy and there is a need to cross some streams so appropriate footwear is advised. Not Jim's work shoes. (We received some odd looks and other hikers were genuinely concerned he wasn't going to make it. It really wasn't that bad.)
This is just a sample. Some hikes are difficult to access at this time of the year but I'm really looking forward to some of the longer ones that New Zealand is well known for!
