MILFORD TRACK

The 'Milford Track' is New Zealand's most famous tramping route and is one of the most famous walking tracks in the world. It is located in stunning scenery amidst mountains and temperate rain forest in Fiordland National Park in the southwest of the South Island.
The track is commonly known as "The Finest Walk in the World", a phrase often attributed to New Zealand poet Blanche Baughan. The article which was eventually published by the London Spectator in England, was originally titled ''A Notable Walk'' but was changed by an editor to ''The Finest Walk in the World'' and the tag line stuck.

Contents

Track Description

Summer Peak Season

Independent Tramping

Guided Tramp

Off Season

Huts

Sights

External links

Track Description

The track spans a distance of 53.5 km starting at the head of Lake Te Anau and finishing at Milford Sound at Sandfly Point.
The track is administered by the Department of Conservation and is one of the ten Great Walks.
The Lake Te Anau end of the track can be reached either by a catamaran ferry, or by climbing over Dore Pass from the Milford Sound road.
Sandfly Point can only be reached by boat (a regular ferry for trampers runs during the peak season).
Due to its fame, and its enormous popularity, the Milford is also one of the most highly regulated walking tracks in the world.

Summer Peak Season

During the summer peak season of late October to late April, access to the trail is highly regulated. Walkers must complete the track in four days, travelling only in the northward direction. Camping is prohibited on the trail. Walkers can tramp the track independently, or as part of a more expensive guided walk with a guide company. A maximum of 90 walkers can start the trail per day (40 Independent, and 50 Guided). Usually these 90 places are booked out for many months in advance, despite the high cost of the guided walks.

Independent Tramping

If hiking independently, each night must be spent in a hut owned and maintained by the Department of Conservation. The huts for independent walkers have basic facilities, which include bunk areas, restrooms, and cooking facilities, walkers they have to carry their own equipment and food.

Guided Tramp

On a guided walk, walkers stay in lodges owned and operated by the company. These lodges have facilities such as hot showers, catered meals, beds, lounge areas, electric lights, drying rooms etc. Guided trampers need only carry clothing, toiletries, their sheets, and lunch while on the trail.

Off Season

During the off season in May to mid October, the track is essentially unregulated, and can be tramped in either direction, over any number of days. It is however much more difficult and dangerous tramping in this season, as facilities at huts are removed, some bridges are removed to prevent damage, and numerous avalanche paths cross the track.

Huts

Name	Description	Location
DOC Huts
Clinton Hut	Night 1, shortly before Clinton Forks, after the marsh boardwalk
Mintaro Hut	Night 2, Situated just before the start of the climb up to Mackinnon Pass
Dumpling Hut	Night 3, A few kilometers after Quintin Lodge
Private Lodges (for guided walkers)
Glade House	Night 1, just 1.2km from track start.
Pompolona Lodge	Night 2, In a forested part of the Clinton Canyon, just after Bus Stop Shelter.
Quintin Lodge	Night 3, At the turnoff to Sutherland Falls, on the Roaring Burn.
Day Use Shelters
Hirere Shelter	Just after Clinton Forks
Bus Stop Shelter	Just before Pompolona Lodge
Pass Hut	Located on the summit of Mackinnon Pass
Boatshed Hut	Just before Mackay Falls

Sights

Name	Description	Location
Mackinnon Pass	A spectacular main-divide pass surrounded by glacier encrusted mountains
Sutherland Falls	listed as the tallest waterfall in NZ
Mackay Falls & Bell Rock
Giant Gate Falls
Lake Ada
Milford Sound	World famous for its spectacular sheer cliffs lining a sound of crystal clear water
Lake Te Anau

External links

★ Milford Track, New Zealand Great Walks, Department of Conservation

★ WikiTravel Entry for Milford Track

★ Need to know information on the Milford Track

★ Guided walks on the Milford Track