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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: -45.44115, 167.70131. 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 one way
- Walking time
- 50 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Fiordland National Park / Lake Te Anau area
- Dog access
- Dogs on a leash only. 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 is an easy walking track along Te Anau lake edge to the start of the Kepler Track, with picnic, swimming and photo spots.
This DOC directory entry covers Visitor Centre to Kepler Track Carpark Walk in Fiordland, within Fiordland National Park / Lake Te Anau 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: 3.5 km one way
- Walking time: 50 min
- 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
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Follow the path south from the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre around the edge of the Lake Te Anau, passing through the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary.
Enjoy excellent lake and mountain views as the track crosses open land below the golf course.
The Kepler Track carpark is at the lower end of the lake, and marks the start of the Kepler Track, a 3-4 day Great Walk. From the carpark there is a good view of the lake and the Fiordland National Park.
Just past the carpark are the control gates, where there is a view of the lake water flowing into the Waiau River. The control gates regulate water flows between Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri for the West Arm hydroelectric power station.
There is a toilet at the Kepler Track carpark, and another 5 minutes along the track to Dock Bay.
For a longer walk and a taste of the Kepler Track, combine this walk with other tracks starting at the Kepler Track carpark.
Kepler Track
Kepler Track: Carpark to Dock Bay and Brod Bay
Kepler Track: Carpark to Luxmore Hut
Kepler Track: Carpark to Rainbow Reach
Getting there
This walk starts from the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre on Lakefront Drive, Te Anau.
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.
