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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -42.62555, 171.74158. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 8.4 km one way
- Walking time
- 8 hr one way
- Track grade
- Expert
- Location
- Ahaura River and Lake Brunner catchments area
- 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 backcountry route that takes you above the bush-line and on to Lake Morgan hut.
This DOC directory entry covers Brian O’Lyn Route in West Coast, within Ahaura River and Lake Brunner catchments area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 8.4 km one way
- Walking time: 8 hr one way
- DOC grade: Expert
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.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Follow the 4WD track on the true left of the Haupiri River upstream until you reach a car park, where the start of the route is marked by a sign.
It is approximately 3 hr to the bush line (2.4 km).
The route is extremely steep for the first half and care needs to be taken. The route ends a few hundred metres past the bush-line.
It is straightforward tops travel from this point. The usual option is over Mount O’Shanessy to Lake Morgan Hut and then either on to the Crooked River or a bush-bash to Cone Creek Hut.
From the bush line it is another 5 hr to Lake Morgan Hut (6 km).
Getting there
Drive north from Greymouth to Ngahere on SH7 and turn right on to Nelson Creek Road just past Ngahere (approximately 25 km).
Follow this road for approximately 30 km, then turn right on to Heaphy Road, just past Lake Haupiri.
The car park is signposted.
Know before you go
This route is accessed through private land. Contact the landowners for access: Gloriavale Christian Community, phone +64 3 738 0224.
Experience in the alpine environment is needed if you are going to travel through the tops and over Mount O’Shanessy. Mount O’Shanessy is 1462 m and the route is quite rugged.
Parties should be experienced and self-contained with cookers and a tent/tent fly in case of delays. Maps and a compass are essential.
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.
