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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: -44.82441, 168.33360. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 2 - 4 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Glenorchy 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
At Glacier Burn you'll climb through beech forest to Glacier Basin. Follow the creek beyond to view the Humboldt Mountains.
This DOC directory entry covers Glacier Burn Track in Otago, within Glenorchy 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 2 - 4 hr
- DOC grade: Advanced
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 creek until the marker shows where to cross to the true left (looking downstream) and start climbing through beech forest. You can see old saw-milling snig lines near the start of the track. After two hours you will be in Glacier Basin, where you can follow the creek further up to view the Humboldt Mountains. Great bird life.
Getting there
25 minutes from Glenorchy, the track is signposted from the Glenorchy / Kinloch Road.
Know before you go
Don't go above bush line in winter and spring, as the area is prone to avalanches.
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 published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.
