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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: -44.80442, 168.13117. 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 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 4 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Fiordland National Park / Hollyford Valley 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 difficult tramping track leads from the Hollyford Road up to Lake Howden on the Routeburn Track.
This DOC directory entry covers Pass Creek Track in Fiordland, within Fiordland National Park / Hollyford Valley 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 km return via same track
- Walking time: 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
This is a difficult tramping track.
From the Hollyford Road, follow the track that climbs steadily up hill to Lake Howden through the bush. This is the old cattle track linking the Hollyford and Greenstone valleys.
Getting there
The track begins from the lower Hollyford Road, 400m from where the road meets the Pass Creek, a few minutes drive from the start of the Hollyford Road.
To find the Hollyford Road, turn off from the Milford Road (SH94) at Marian Corner, a few minutes towards Milford Sound from The Divide.
Marian Corner is about 87 km along the Milford Road from Te Anau.
Know before you go
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.
Note: If you plan to stay at huts or campsites along the Routeburn Track, bookings are required.
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.
