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Routeburn Track day walk from Glenorchy – walking guide
Did you know that it is possible to complete a day walk on the Routeburn Track from Glenorchy? Read this guide on how to do a large portion of one of New Zealand's best hikes in one day. The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks and one of the most popular on the South Island. If you don't have time to complete the entire 20-mile (32 km) hike, it's possible to complete a good portion of it on a full-day, round-trip hike. By following this guide it is also possible to climb to the top of Conical Hill and see one of the most picturesque…
Routeburn Track day walk from Glenorchy – walking guide
Did you know that it is possible to complete a day walk on the Routeburn Track from Glenorchy? Read this guide on how to do a large portion of one of New Zealand's best hikes in one day.
The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks and one of the most popular on the South Island. If you don't have time to complete the entire 20-mile (32 km) hike, it's possible to complete a good portion of it on a full-day, round-trip hike.
By following this guide it is also possible to climb to the summit of Conical Hill and visit one of New Zealand's most picturesque mountain huts before descending back to Glenorchy.
How to get to the Routeburn Track
Depending on which side you want to start the route, you can either drive to Glenorchy, about an hour's drive from Queenstown, or to the Divide Shelter on Milford Road, 85km from Te Anau.
In this quick guide I describe my experience of hiking a large section of the Routeburn Track in one day from Glenorchy. If you are interested in reading a detailed guide to the entire trip, you can find more information on the DOC website or on Bucketlistly.blog.
Routeburn Track Day Walk Starting point: Glenorchy
The starting point is the Routeburn Shelter near Glenorchy, a small farming town 65km from Queenstown which is well worth a visit.
Once you reach the town you will need to follow Glenorchy-Paradise Road before turning left onto Glenorchy-Routeburn Road and finally right onto Routeburn Road, a well maintained and accessible gravel road.
For your convenience I have marked the exact location of the Routeburn day walk start point on the map below.
Once you reach the refuge, you can park your car, fill your water bottle and start the hike.
Routeburn route map and resources
For the latest information on trail closures, hut prices and more, visit the DOC website. I also recommend downloading this brochure for more information.
Below I have included a map of the entire Routeburn route.
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Routeburn Day walking route
For this day trip walk I suggested starting at Routeburn Shelter, passing Routeburn Flats Hut and Routeburn Falls Hut, Lake Harris and the summit of Conical Hill before heading back to Routeburn Shelter.
This is a fairly long day hike that took me about 8 hours total for the return trip including a few quick stops.
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What to expect
Like all of New Zealand's Great Walks, the Routeburn Track is very well maintained and absolutely stunning. I would recommend anyone visiting New Zealand to at least try one if they have time.
Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats Hut
Total time: 1.5 hours
The first section of the trail leads through dense rainforest and crosses several scenic suspension bridges. This route winds through some spectacular scenery along the crystal clear Routeburn River.
After a few kilometers we broke out next to a wide tussock valley known as Routeburn Flats. There is both a cabin and a campsite here with running water and a toilet if you need it.
alt="Suspension bridges on the Routeburn Track in New Zealand">
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From Routeburn Flats Hut to Routeburn Falls Hut
Total time: 1 hour
Soon after, the trail branches back into the tree line where the long 1 hour climb to Routeburn Falls hut begins. From here we were blessed with incredible views over the Routeburn River and the Tussock Flats below.
While we were at Routeburn Falls we were also lucky enough to see a helicopter land next to the huts and on a rocky outcropping right next to the waterfall.
alt="Mountain lakes on the Routeburn track overlooking the valley.">
READ MORE: FULL LIST OF THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT IN QUEENSTOWN
From Routeburn Falls Hut to Harris Saddle Hut
Total time: 1 hour
After a quick granola bar we were back on the trail and climbing to the highest point on the Routeburn Track; Harris saddle.
This section of the route was my favorite. The trail gently climbs a rocky tussock and sections of wetland with surrounding jagged peaks before reaching the incredible Lake Harris.
You also get a great view of Conical Hill from here.
alt=”Lake Harris Routeburn Day Hike “>
After enjoying the view of the turquoise alpine lake, we continued up the cliff to Harris Saddle. Here we found what I think is the most picturesque alpine hut in New Zealand. This was also the end point of our day walk on the Routeburn Track. But first there was a quick climb up Conical Hill.
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Peak of the conical hill
Total time: 1 hour
The final push of the Routeburn Track – Conical Hill day walk. The climb to the summit took about an hour. This involved a bit of rock climbing and the downhill sections were very icy and slippery. If you try this outside of high season like we did, I would recommend crampons and alpine experience.
The summit offered excellent views of the hut above the clouds, Lake Harris, the Fjordlands and the Darran Mountains.
Return to Glenorchy
Total time: 3.5 – 4 hours
By now we were pretty tired. However, we still had to get back to Glenorchy. To get back we followed the same path, which was much easier on the legs as it was mostly downhill.
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Looking for a day hike near Queenstown? Check out the full post for Ben Lomond.
Great Walks hiking season
The peak hiking season for Great Walks runs from November to April. During these months the weather is warmer and the risk of avalanches is lower.
Although day hiking the Routeburn Track is technically possible all year round, it is important to check weather conditions and avalanche risk, particularly from May to September.
If you attempt the summit of Conical HIll, you need to assess the conditions and not attempt it in snow.
alt="Mountain lakes on the Routeburn track overlooking the valley.">
WANT TO GO TO MILFORD SOUND? READ THE FULL TRAVEL GUIDE
I hope you found this guide. for hiking the Routeburn Track on a day trip. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below. For now, why not check out some more epic New Zealand day hikes in the list below.
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