My Top 10 Favorite New Zealand Day Hikes (so far)

A goat I met while climbing Ben Lomond

As a way to share some of the other things I’ve done during the last few months in New Zealand, I decided to post some of my favorite day hikes. I tend to favor tougher, longer hikes, as they are usually a little quieter and a little more rewarding, but, as you shall see, all of these were photo-worthy. I will save mention of my Great Walks for another time.

10. Hokitika Gorge

The emphasis is on the water color, not so much the 'gorge'

There are some beautiful waters in New Zealand, but few as riveting as those found in Hokitika Gorge. The color is made by all the minerals that are chiseled out of rocks by the nearby glaciers and carried down in the runoff. It is a very short, yet pretty trail, with opportunities to go down to the water’s edge.

9. Fox Glacier

The glacier can be seen in the distance, a little to the left. This is as close as you can safely get using this trail.

Located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park in the south island, this was a short and accessible hike to view a glacier. The terrain was easy and the distance short, and the reward is a view of the Fox Glacier across a path of rubble. There is a little side trail you can take that lets you enjoy the wilderness a little more and see just how far the glacier once spanned. Unfortunately, the glacier has been receding at an alarming pace, and I wonder how much longer a view of it will be accessible by this trail.

8. McLean Falls

Another short hike, this time located in the Catlins Forest Park on the southern end of the south island. There are many pretty waterfall hikes in New Zealand (Bridal Veil falls near Raglan and Devil’s Punchbowl in Arthur’s Pass to name a couple), but I found this one to be the prettiest of them due to its several tiers.

 Bridal Veil Falls, Devil's Punchbowl, and Waitonga Falls, from left to right. My honorable mentions

7. The Pinnacles

Looking back down the way I came. This part of the trail is pretty much open to exploration, without a clear turning around point.

Found on the southern end of the north island, these earth pillar formations are reminiscent of something you might see in Bryce Canyon National Park (and perhaps did see in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King). The hike takes you up to a viewpoint, but you can also walk up the riverbed on a day with good weather and explore the pillars up close.

6. Big Hill Loop

a view from the top of Big Hill

Situated north of Arrowtown, outside of Queenstown on the south island, this hike took me up to a really big hill and down the other side. It was less crowded than a lot of the other hikes on this list and was recommended by a hiking guide in the region. I ended up having to cross a freezing river with a strong current. I managed to make it across, thanks to my trekking poles helping me keep balance, but one of them broke mere minutes later. 

5. Gertrude Saddle

The path takes you along the bottom of the valley and then up.

This is one of the only hikes I did not manage to complete. Situated in Fjordlands National Park, close to Milford Sound, the snow on the mountaintops was still too thick for me to risk climbing up any further without microtips on my boots. That said, even the view from where I paused was breathtaking. The volume of runoff from the melting snow was great, making a significant portion of the early parts of the trail totally inundated with freezing water that felt so cold it burned my feet. Nevertheless, this was a hike I cherished.

The snow was too slippery for me to reach the top of the saddle.

4. Roy’s Peak

The view from the top of Roy's Peak. On the left, you can see the town of Wanaka. Below, you can barely make out the carpark.

This peak is located outside of the lakeside town of Wanaka, where most Kiwis go instead of Queenstown to enjoy mountains and water. It’s a crowded hike, but for a very good reason. The wide path is made of many switchbacks up to the top of a mountain, and the view improves with each step as you get to see more and more of the horizon. It has perhaps one of the most iconic views in New Zealand, and I stood in line to get the same photo myself. Unlike some others, though, I continued to the peak after I got the famous picture.

3. Lake Marian

The water level was higher than usual this day, and you can see a dozen waterfalls feeding into the lake.

This is another popular hike located in Fjordland National Park. It’s a hefty, but relatively short climb up to a pristine lake cradled by mountains on the other three sides. Although the hike up is mostly wooded, some of it runs alongside the river that flows out of the lake. The flora is very reminiscent of what you’d see along the Milford and Routeburn tracks, which means there are beech trees, tons of ferns, and even more kinds of mosses.

2. Brewster Lake

The glacial lake, hidden in the mountains. The trail to get to this part is not official, but still popular for the stout of heart.

This was a brutal hike, located about an hour’s drive north of Wanaka, in Mount Aspiring National Park. It has the same elevation gain as Roy’s Peak, but it’s done in half the distance. The trail starts with crossing a river, and then it’s a straight climb up a mountain, no switchbacks. I was grasping at trees to hoist myself up. When the tree line finally ends, you get a great view of the mountains all around and the valley below from which you came.

The view as you approach Brewster Hut.

If you continue the climb past Brewster Hut, you can visit a glacial lake. In that rugged view of ice and rock, I caught a glimpse of someone plunging into the pool. Considering the icebergs floating in there, and the strength of the wind at that height, I couldn’t believe it. I also met a pair of Kea on my way back, and they landed close to me to size me up.

1. Ben Lomond and The Moonlight Trail

The view from Ben Lomond, looking back towards Queenstown. On the far left, you can see part of the trail I took to get there. The Remarkables are the mountains to the left of the lake.

This was the longest of the day hikes that I have done, and it began from the edge of Queenstown. The city has a gondola which will take you up the side of part of a mountain, giving you great views of the town, the lake, and The Remarkables (a most apt name for the abutting mountains).

The view from the other side of Ben Lomond. The lake on the left is Moke Lake, and I did a hike down there the following day.

However, hiking to the gondola’s terminus was just the beginning, because this hike took me up to the peak of the tallest mountain in the nearby vicinity. Not only did it afford spectacular views of the city, it provided a panorama of the vast beauty which makes this region of the country so popular. To enjoy the views even more, I took the circular route back, forsaking the crowds and opting for the Moonlight Trail.

Ben Lomond is the white peak. This was a picture I took during the morning ascent.