By Outdoor Next Editorial standards
On this page
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: -46.02651, 167.33574. 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
- 18 km one way, return via same track
- Walking time
- 9 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Fiordland National Park / Tuatapere 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
This rather difficult tramping track in the Lake Hauroko area goes around the lake via bays and bush-clad ridges towards Teal Bay Hut.
This DOC directory entry covers Lake Hauroko to Teal Bay Hut Track in Fiordland, within Fiordland National Park / Tuatapere 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: 18 km one way, return via same track
- Walking time: 9 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.
- Predator control in Lake Hauroko area; First published on 13 May 2026. Last reviewed on 31 August 2026.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Follow the eastern shore of Lake Hauroko to the south, at First Bay.
At the western end of First Bay a large orange marker signals where the track enters a bush-clad headland, crossing to Second Bay.
Fill up with water before heading to the track at the western end of Second Bay, which climbs to a 7 km long ridge then leads to a steeply descending spur and the Teal Bay Hut.
For a longer trip, combine with tracks from Teal Bay to South Coast Track or the Teal Bay to Lake Poteriteri Hut Track.
Getting there
This track starts at Lake Hauroko in Fiordland, Southland.
To get to Lake Hauroko from Tuatapere, head north towards Clifden (12 km, 10 min), and turn west along the Lillburn Valley Road to Lake Hauroko (about 36 km to the carpark, 20k m of which is unsealed road).
Know before you go
No water is available between the Lake Hauroko shoreline at Second Bay and the Teal Bay Hut.
This track is wet underfoot and recommended for experienced trampers only.
This is a tramping track so you will need good fitness and moderate to high level backcountry (remote areas) skills and experience, including navigation and survival skills.
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.
