Routeburn Nature Walk

Head into the Mount Aspiring National Park World Heritage Area for a bite-sized taste of the mighty Routeburn and a beautiful nature walk through native beech forests.

Distance: 3.2 km loop

Duration: 40 minutes – 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

Best time of year to go: October – April.

Start / finish point: Head to the end of the Glenorchy-Routeburn Road, about 35 minutes’ drive from Glenorchy. Walk from the Routeburn shelter carpark and follow the DOC signs.

Insider’s tip: The last section of the road into this walk is gravel, so make sure your rental car is up to the job.

The Routeburn Nature Walk experience

This gentle nature hike takes you into ancient beech forest. An easy loop track, perfect for families with kids, with plenty of opportunities to see native birds.

Start your walk by crossing the swing bridge over the turquoise waters of the Route Burn, then follow the Routeburn Track into the beech forest. After 10-15 minutes you’ll see a signposted turn off on your left. Take the track down into the valley, through red beech trees.

Interpretation panels along the way introduce you to the native plants and birds. You may see and hear tui, bellbirds, bush robins, fantails, and yellowheads.

After following the nature trail for another quarter hour, you’ll rejoin the main Routeburn Track, where you have the choice to continue along the trail for more spectacular mountain scenery, or loop back to the carpark.