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Key facts
- Distance
- 1 km loop
- Walking time
- 20 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Molesworth Recreation Reserve
- Seasonal restrictions
- Acheron Road is open 7 am – 7 pm daily from 1 October to Easter Monday or the second Sunday in April – whichever is later. Acheron Road can close without warning.
- Dog access
- No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
A short loop walk with views that starts from Acheron Accommodation House.
This DOC directory entry covers Acheron Lookout Loop Walk in Marlborough, within Molesworth Recreation Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 1 km loop
- Walking time: 20 min
- DOC grade: Easy
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Seasonal restrictions
Acheron Road is open 7 am – 7 pm daily from 1 October to Easter Monday or the second Sunday in April – whichever is later. Acheron Road can close without warning.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This 20 minute loop walk starts from Acheron Accommodation House. It gives views of the accommodation house, Clarence River and the surrounding valley.
Getting there
Take the Clarence Valley Road from Hanmer Springs (via Jacks Pass Road). Turn right onto Tophouse Road, this becomes the Acheron Road. Continue for 17 km to then cross the Clarence River.
Note: vehicle access to Acheron Accommodation House is not available when the Acheron Road is closed (chain across bridge).
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
