Routeburn Track
There’s nothing like hiking 18 miles the day after traveling for 36 hours!
On my first full day in New Zealand, I decided to hike The Routeburn Track, one of the Great Walks of NZ, in a day. The Routeburn Track is a through hike, starting at one trailhead and ending at the other. However, these trailheads are around 4 hours apart! And you can’t leave cars overnight in either parking lot… So I chose to begin on one side and hike halfway and back in one day, thinking I may do some other hikes on the opposite side once I made my way over there by car. I started at the Routeburn Shelter trailhead on the Glenorchy side of the Routeburn track, hiked up to Harris Saddle, and then back down to the same trailhead. Although a map says that route is 16 miles, my phone clocked me at 18 ¯\_(ヅ)_/¯. Needless to say, my feet hated me at the end of the day.. I ended up stopping multiple times near the end on the completely flat and easy parts of the trail, just to get off my feet for a couple minutes.
The “unsealed” road leading to the trailhead.
The first part of the trail goes through forest for much of it, occasionally getting vistas of the clearest, bluest water I’ve ever seen! The water looked like something you would find in the Caribbean, not forest water on a hiking trail.
That water!!!!
I can’t believe water this clear exists in a forest and not at a beach.
A little less than a mile from the first hut, the Routeburn Flats hut, the forest opens up into a beautiful grassland type valley surround by massive, evergreen peaks.
After hiking the first part of the trail through the forest, you come to this beautiful valley/clearing with a mountain vista in the background.
After passing through the valley and the first hut, the trail continues to climb up through forest, eventually leading to a vista of the valley below.
Valley views from above.
New Zealand trails have some of the prettiest bridges.
Valley views from above.
The next part of the trail continues up through grasslands with multiple, small waterfalls and streams, eventually coming to the Routeburn Falls hut.
Looking down at the Routeburn Falls Hut.
After stopping at the Falls Hut for a bathroom break and getting some water, it’s only a few more miles to the saddle, which was STUNNING. The lake right below the saddle, Lake Harris is a snowed lake sitting below the peaks around the saddle. The saddle is actually the highest part of the hike, so no mater which way you’re doing the hike, it’s all downhill once at the saddle. :)
The way back down from the saddle towards the Routeburn Shelter trailhead.
In between Routeburn Falls and Lake Harris you walk through this valley. It is VERY windy.
Looking back from the valley near Lake Harris.
Routeburn Falls.
Lake Harris.
If I get a chance to go back to New Zealand, I’ll definitely be redoing this hike, but the whole hike, not just half of it rushed. The most enjoyable option would be to either camp or stay in the huts overnight. The huts require reservations far in advance and are a little pricey for each night - $130 NZD per night for international visitors during the Great Walks Season. Camping is a lot more affordable at $40 NZD per night for international visitors. Another option would be to day hike it - something I think could easily be done if you’re in good shape and the weather is favorable. There are companies that will move your cars for somewhere around $275+ NZD from one trailhead to the other while you hike.
Views driving away from the park.
