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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: -46.10426, 167.23398. 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
- 14.5 km one way
- Walking time
- 10 hr
- Track grade
- Expert
- 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 challenging tramping route travels through remote southern Fiordland forested valleys between Lake Hauroko and Lake Poteriteri.
This DOC directory entry covers Teal Bay to Lake Poteriteri Hut Route 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: 14.5 km one way
- Walking time: 10 hr
- DOC grade: Expert
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 challenging tramping route heads from Teal Bay Hut along the shore of Lake Hauroko to a three-wire swing bridge across the Wairaurahiri River.
It then continues downstream on the true right of the river, before reaching the Rata Burn three-wire swing bridge.
The next 11 km of this route to Lake Poteriteri Hut is unbridged and care should be taken as the streams can rise rapidly after rain.
From here, trampers may choose to travel unmarked terrain to Slaughterburn and Waitutu huts (see Moir’s Guide South for more detail).
Getting there
This track starts from Teal Bay Hut at the southern end of Lake Hauroko, or from the start of the South Coast Track, at Rarakau carpark.
To get to Teal Bay Hut from Lake Hauroko, see Lake Hauroko to Teal Bay Hut Track.
To get to Teal Bay Hut from Te Waewae Bay, see Teal Bay to South Coast Track.
Know before you go
This is a challenging route so you will need above average fitness and 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.
