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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: -45.13726, 168.77281. 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
- 6.66 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 4 hr return
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Remarkables Conservation 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 steep track follows the pipeline from the dam and leads you to the foot of a rock bluff. A further walk through beech forest takes you to the stream in the Lower Wye Creek basin.
This DOC directory entry covers Lower Wye Creek Track in Otago, within Remarkables Conservation 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: 6.66 km return via same track
- Walking time: 4 hr return
- 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.
- Access across Wye Creek dam closed; First published on 8 May 2026. Last reviewed on 31 August 2026.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
From the carpark by the Wye Creek Bridge, it’s a 45-min climb to the hydro dam. This steep, zig zag track follows the pipeline from the dam. Don’t cross the dam, climb away from the creek – the track leads to the foot of a rock bluff.
To reach the bush line and the Lower Wye Creek basin from the dam means another hour following a marked, benched track through beech forest. It then emerges beside the stream in the Lower Wye Creek basin.
Crosses private land.
The track offers rock climbing for all abilities on both sides of the creek, with climbs up to 50 m.
Getting there
Start/Finish: Wye Creek, SH6, 20 min drive from Queenstown
Know before you go
This is a high altitude walk and suitable for summer only, when snow may still be present. Be prepared for sudden weather changes.
Take care entering and leaving the carpark at Wye Creek, as it is off a busy highway.
Note: there is limited space at the main carpark for this track, and 4WD vehicles are needed to reach the upper carpark.
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.
