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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: -45.57107, 170.08968. 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
- 3.5 km loop
- Walking time
- 45 min - 1 hr loop
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Sutton Salt Lake Scenic Reserve
- 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
Take a self-guided loop walk around Sutton Salt Lake, New Zealand's only inland salt lake.
This DOC directory entry covers Sutton Salt Lake walk in Otago, within Sutton Salt Lake Scenic Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 3.5 km loop
- Walking time: 45 min - 1 hr loop
- DOC grade: Easy
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 with lone kowhai in foreground
A 3.5 km self-guided loop walk to the lake and back is an easy way to enjoy the tranquility and natural history of this stunning landscape.
This track is not wheelchair accessible.
Getting there
Sutton Salt Lake Car Park is located approximately 9.5 km from Middlemarch.
Drive south from Middlemarch towards Dunedin on SH87. Just after you cross the railway line for the second time, turn right onto the unsealed Kidds Road - the reserve entrance is about 2.5 km along this road on the left.
If coming from Dunedin, drive south of Dunedin to Outram and take SH87, heading towards Middlemarch. Turn left onto Kidds Road before you cross the railway line at Sutton. The reserve entrance is about 2.5 km along this road, on the left.
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.
