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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: -44.89267, 168.08196. 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
- 1.4 km loop
- Walking time
- 45 min loop
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Fiordland National Park / Milford Road/Milford Sound 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
Experience wild Fiordland on one of our best short walks - wander through red beech forest, enjoying glimpses of the birdlife of the Eglinton valley, Lake Gunn and the surrounding mountains. It's a good option for children.
This DOC directory entry covers Lake Gunn Nature Walk in Fiordland, within Fiordland National Park / Milford Road/Milford Sound 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: 1.4 km loop
- Walking time: 45 min loop
- DOC grade: Easiest
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
This short loop takes you through a tranquil beech forest with many trees covered in moss and great views of Lake Gunn and the surrounding mountains. This area also has many tomtits, riflemen and other forest birds.
A short side path takes you out onto a stony beach. From here you get a good view of the mountains that surround Lake Gunn.
The walk is very popular throughout the year but isn’t as busy in the colder months. The track is near the popular Cascade Creek Campsite.
Check out the interpretation panels along this walk.
Getting there
The walk begins from Cascade Creek carpark on Milford Road. The carpark is about 78 km from Te Anau.
Know before you go
Change in elevation: +/- 50 m
Weather
- Rapidly changing weather – this walk is in an alpine region.
Amenities
Wheelchair accessible toilets at the car park.
Picnic table in the Cascade Creek Campsite near the track.
Nature and conservation
The Eglinton valley is a stronghold for New Zealand’s native birds: South Island robin/kakaruai, kākā, yellowhead/mohua as well as short-tailed bats and long-tailed bats.
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.
