Best Short Walks in Queenstown, Ranked by Difficulty

Queenstown has some of the best short walks in the South Island. All easily accessible, suitable for a range of fitness levels and offering magical views of jagged mountains, rivers and glistening lakes. It's the perfect place to tie up your shoe laces, breath in the fresh alpine air and sight-see on foot.

Here's our guide to some delightful short walks to get you started.

Easy Short Walks

Oxenbridge Tunnel Track, Arthurs Point

A short walk to a viewpoint over the Oxenbridge Tunnel, a river diversion on the Shotover River built in the early 1900s to get at the gold in the riverbed. The scheme failed, but the tunnel and an old steam engine are still there to see.

• Duration: About 20 minutes
• Distance: 1.4 km return
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: Turn left just before the Edith Cavell Bridge at Arthurs Point

Queenstown Gardens

You’ll forget you are in the town centre when you explore this small peninsula on the shoreline of Lake Whakatipu. Wander through the gorgeous selection of exotic and native plants at the Queenstown Gardens – or explore the gardens while playing a game of frisbee golf. For an extra challenge, try ice skating at the adjacent Queenstown Ice Arena, or continue to explore the town’s waterfront by heading towards Steamer Wharf and St Omer Park. Alternatively, head north at the Queenstown Gardens’ entrance by the Bathhouse and follow the Frankton Track, which in turn links to the Kelvin Peninsula Trail if you have time for a 16.4km one-way hike along Lake Whakatipu. 

• Duration: Approx. 25 minutes return on a loop track
• Difficulty: Easy
• Location: Next to Queenstown Bay Beach and off Park St.

Queenstown Gardens

Arrow Millennium Walk

An easy, tree-lined loop along the Arrow River on the edge of Arrowtown. The walk passes old gold mining sites and the location used for the Gladden Fields in The Lord of the Rings. Cross the bridges near Tobin’s Track to loop back to town.

• Duration: About 1 hour
• Distance: About 4 km loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: Butler Green car park, off Ramshaw Lane or Ford Street

Arrow River, Arrowtown

Bob’s Cove Track and Nature Walk

The track drops through beech forest and mānuka to Punatapu / Bobs Cove, where you can swim and fish off the shore. Past a historic lime kiln, a short, steep loop climbs to Picnic Point for views over the cove and lake. The track also connects to the Twelve Mile Delta Track.

• Duration: 20 minutes to the cove, or 30 minutes to Picnic Point (one way)
• Distance: 1.5 km one way to Picnic Point
• Difficulty: Easy to intermediate
• Start: The car park on the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road, 14 km from Queenstown

Glenorchy Lagoon Walkway

Boardwalks cross the wetlands at the northern edge of Glenorchy, with birdlife and views to Mount Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi and its hanging glacier. Choose the short lower loop, the full loop, or start from Glenorchy Wharf for a longer walk.

• Duration: 1 to 2 hours
• Distance: 1.7 km (lower loop), 3.1 km (full loop) or 5.5 km return from the wharf
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: The northern end of Glenorchy. Follow the signs near the lake on Mull Street.

Glenorchy Lagoon Walkway

Kelvin Peninsula Trail & Sculpture Trail

The Kelvin Peninsula Trail follows the sunny side of the Frankton Arm from Kawarau Bridge to the end of the Kelvin Peninsula, with picnic spots along the way. At the end, carry on around the Kelvin Heights Sculpture Trail, or turn off at Jardine Park onto the Jack’s Point Track.

• Duration: 1 to 2 hours one way
• Distance: About 5 km one way
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: Kawarau Bridge or Grove Lane, Kelvin Heights

Moke Lake Loop Track

The track circles Moke Lake through open grassland, with mountains all around and boardwalks over the wetlands at each end of the lake. Bikes aren’t allowed on the peninsula section, and there are no dogs at Moke Lake.

• Duration: 2 to 3 hours
• Distance: About 6 km loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: Moke Lake Reserve. Drive about 10 minutes along the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road, then about 8 km up Moke Lake Road (steep, then gravel).

Moke Lake Loop Track

Lake Hayes Loop Track

The loop circles Lake Hayes/Waiwhakaata on a smooth gravel track, past wetlands, historic cottages and views of the surrounding mountains. It’s shared with bikes and part of Te Araroa and the Queenstown Trail.

• Duration: 2 to 3 hours
• Distance: 8 km loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: Several access points, including North Lake Hayes picnic area, Lake Hayes Pavilion on State Highway 6, Bendemeer Bay, Arrowtown Road and Rutherford Road

Arawata Bridle Track

The Arawata Bridle Track follows part of the original bridle trail between Queenstown and Glenorchy, with lake views and rock formations used by climbers. It runs from Arawata Terrace in Sunshine Bay to the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road near Five Mile Creek.

• Duration: About 45 minutes one way
• Distance: 1.4 km one way
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: The bend of Arawata Terrace, Sunshine Bay

Intermediate Short Walks

Tobin’s Track, Arrowtown

A short, steep climb from Arrowtown to a lookout over the town and the Whakatipu Basin. On the way up, you’ll pass the junction with the New Chum Track. At the top, there’s a trig station and seats to take in the view.

• Duration: About 1 hour return from the bottom of Ford Street
• Distance: DQ to confirm
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Start: The bottom of Ford Street, Arrowtown, across the Arrow River bridge

Tobin's Track Summit

New Chum Track, Arrowtown

A poled route through scrubland that follows the ridgeline of Glencoe Station, with views of the mountains and Lake Hayes, before dropping into gullies and streams. It comes out at Norman Smith Bridge, where you can follow the pipeline track back to Arrowtown.

• Duration: About 1.5 hours
• Distance: DQ to confirm
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Start: Halfway up Tobin’s Track (look for the orange marker and gate), or from Norman Smith Bridge on the Macetown trail

Sawpit Gully Trail, Arrowtown

The loop follows the Arrow River, then climbs through Sawpit Gully past gold mining remains and up through tussock to Eichardt’s Flat, before dropping back towards Bush Creek with views over the Whakatipu Basin. Parts of the track cross private land, so follow the markers.

• Duration: About 3 hours
• Distance: 7.9 km loop
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Start: The Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, the Arrow Gorge Track or the Bush Creek Track

Queenstown Hill Time Walk

The track climbs about 500 m from just above town, past information panels about Queenstown’s history, a small tarn and the Basket of Dreams sculpture. From the sculpture, a final climb takes you to the summit for 360-degree views over The Remarkables, Cecil Peak and Lake Whakatipu.

• Duration: 2 to 3 hours return
• Distance: 5.4 km return
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Start: A small car park off Belfast Terrace

Queenstown Hill Summit

Mt Crichton Loop Track

The loop follows Twelve Mile Creek through beech forest and old gold mining country, past a waterfall and the historic Sam Summers Hut, with views over Lake Dispute and Lake Whakatipu. The bridge at the Māori Gully crossing was destroyed in a flood, so you’ll need to cross the creek on foot. Don’t cross if the water is high or discoloured, and check DOC for alerts.

• Duration: 2 to 3 hours
• Distance: 6.4 km loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Start: Mt Crichton car park, 12 km from Queenstown on the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road

Advanced Short Walks

Lake Alta Track, The Remarkables

The track starts behind the Remarkables ski area buildings and climbs from 1,600 m to 1,800 m, following cairns and flagstones through alpine wetlands to Lake Alta. The access road is a toll road, gravel for the last 3 km. It’s cold up here all year, snow is possible at any time, and in winter the route is under deep snow, with avalanche risk. Check conditions with DOC and The Remarkables before you go.

• Duration: About 1.5 hours
• Distance: 2.4 km return
• Difficulty: Advanced
• Start: Behind the Remarkables ski area buildings, off State Highway 6

Shirt Tail Track, Kingston

A steep climb beside Shirt Tail Stream through red beech forest and subalpine shrubland, past a waterfall to the bushline, with views over Lake Whakatipu and Kingston. The track is marked as far as the waterfall. Beyond it, the track is very steep, unmarked and not maintained.

• Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours
• Distance: 1.9 km return
• Difficulty: Advanced
• Start: Te Kere Haka reserve car park, at the far end of Kingston past the railway station, about 45 minutes from Queenstown

View from Shirt Tail Track, Kingston. Credit @freedom72life

Lower Wye Creek Track

A steep climb up the western face of The Remarkables, over a stile, under a rocky cliff band and along a water pipeline, then through beech forest to the open Lower Wye Creek basin. Return the same way. Pioneer Energy has closed access across the Wye Creek dam, including the pipeline walkway to the helipad, so stay on the marked track.

• Duration: About 4 hours return
• Distance: 6.7 km return
• Difficulty: Advanced
• Location: Wye Creek, on State Highway 6 towards Kingston

Check DOC for current alerts before you go.