One of many walks in Fiordland National Park, the Hollyford Track starts at Lower Hollyford Road and runs north for about 35 miles (56 kilometers). The route is full of grand river crossings and impressive natural sights such as the sprawling Lake McKerrow. It cuts through beech forests where native birds, including the fantail and the kaka, make their homes. Past Gunns Camp, the Hollyford River is also a trout and salmon fishing hot spot deep in the Fiordland wilderness.
You can tackle as much or as little of the route as you want according to your experience and fitness level. Families with children can try the track’s first section, a low-intensity walk to the Hidden Falls Hut, while experienced hikers can spend just over a week walking to Martins Bay—an isolated, majestic natural harbor—and back. Multi-day guided hikes from Queenstown or Te Anau often include a scenic Milford Sound helicopter flight.
The Hollyford Track is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers, and active families.
If you’re walking past Lake McKerrow, keep an eye out for Jamestown, an abandoned town from the times of the first English settlers.
The track is dotted with campsites and Department of Conservation huts that are equipped with heating and mattresses.
Adventure seekers can kayak the Hollyford River and, in summer, jet boat on Lake McKerrow.
Sections of the track are not well defined and can get muddy and slippery, especially when it’s raining; the track can also flood in periods of heavy rain.
See the Department of Conservation’s website for a good list of things to take when hiking the Hollyford Track.
The track begins at the end of Lower Hollyford Road, about 54 miles (87 kilometers) from Te Anau. If driving, take State Highway 94 to Marian Corner. Alternatively, several shuttle and transfer services run from nearby Te Anau and Milford Sound, though most are available only from October through to April.
The Hollyford Track is open year-round, and is most popular during summer (and most guided walk packages and transport options are available between spring and early autumn). In winter, minimal track maintenance and the Hollyford River’s tendency to flood can make for a particularly challenging walk.
The Hollyford Valley’s thick forest provides the perfect habitat for some of New Zealand’s favorite native birds, including kaka, kea,mohua, kereru, and the impressive New Zealand falcon. Although they might not flutter around the track, Fiordland crested penguins can also be found in the park. You may even come across a school of dolphins making its way up the Hollyford River to Lake McKerrow.
