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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: -43.59824, 171.05687. 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
- Various from 3 hr to 8 hr return
- Track grade
- Easy; Advanced
- Location
- Hakatere Conservation Park
- 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
Enjoy views of Lake Clearwater from the lake shore or the nearby Mount Guy (1319 m).
This DOC directory entry covers Lake Clearwater tracks in Canterbury, within Hakatere Conservation Park. 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: Various from 3 hr to 8 hr return
- DOC grade: Easy; 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
Lake Clearwater Circuit
Track category: Walking trackTime: 3 hrDistance: 10.3 km
Walk or mountain bike around the lake shore.
This is a shared-use track. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.
Lake Clearwater to Mount Guy summit
Track category: Tramping trackTime: 3 hr one wayDistance: 4.3 km
Climb Mount Guy (1319 m) for fantastic views.
Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake
Track category: Tramping trackTime: 4 hr one wayDistance: 11.8 km
The area around Mystery Lake is fascinating, with steep roche moutonnées (rocky ‘knobs’ smoothed by passing glaciers), jumbled scree and (surprising for such a treeless area) large Hall’s tōtara.
Return the same way or continue to Potts River car park (4 hr, 9.2 km), another 7 km down Hakatere Potts Road.
Getting there
Lake Clearwater is on Hakatere Potts Road, about 33 km west of Mount Somers. Leave Mount Somers on Ashburton Gorge Road, which becomes Hakatere Potts Road.
Winter season
During the winter season from May to October the 4WD road from the outlet is closed for driving but is still open for walking all the tracks.
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.
