Lake Rotoroa
Walks
The mixed beech-podocarp forest surrounding this picturesque
glacial lake offers lodge guests several tracks that explore
the lake edge and the park’s tranquil forests.
Both short walks and half-day walks are possible, making
Lake Rotoroa an ideal place for all ages and capabilities.
The walks are well signposted and
graded, with bridges across most streams and rivers. As
this is an alpine environment, we strongly advise guests
to bring firm footwear and warm clothing.
Short
Walks
For those guests who prefer an easy stroll, several pleasant
walks are available.
Flower’s Walk (15 minutes)
Named in memory of two early settlers at Lake Rotoroa (Cyril and Hubert
Flower), this short walk is located at the northern
end of the lake, between the lake foreshore and the outlet,
just a few steps from the front door of the lodge.
Flower’s Walk starts to
the right of the car park and jetty and passes through
a stand of kahikatea forest before following around the
lake outlet to the beginning of the Gowan River.
Kahikatea (Podocarpus dacrydioides) was once common as pure stands in swampy areas of alluvial
flood plains and on the margins of lakes, rivers and estuaries
throughout New Zealand. The clearance, drainage and conversion
of these areas to farmland has resulted in kahikatea forest
being very rare. Kahikatea is our tallest tree, often
reaching 197 feet (60 m) in height. Whilst preferring
wetter, low-lying areas, kahikatea will also grow in forests
on drier sites up to 1970 feet (600 m) in altitude.
Short Loop Track – Nature Walk (30 minutes)
The Short Loop Track starts at the picnic area near the
lake and proceeds along the Lakeside Track for about 10
minutes before branching off to the left onto the loop
section. It returns to the picnic area via the start of
the Porika Track.
The gentle nature of this ramble
is a botanist's delight. Of all the short walks in the
park, this one contains the greatest variety of tall forest
trees, shrubs, climbing vines, mosses and, particularly,
ferns. Here, the beech/podocarp forest around the lake
is at its most diverse.
Near the beginning of the walk,
on the forest floor and along the edge of the stream are
many different fern species. The large size of the attractive
hen and chickens fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) indicates a very favourable growing site. The fern derives
its name from the tiny plants or bulbils that sprout from
the fronds. The bulbils are capable of growing into new
plants if they make contact with the ground.
Half-Day Walks Braeburn Walk (2 hours return)
The Braeburn Walk leads through a diverse remnant of the
beech/podocarp forest, rich in bird life, along a wide
and well-graded track to a picturesque mossy waterfall.
The track starts from the Braeburn
Road, 220 yards (200 m) from the front of the lodge on
the other side of the Gowan Bridge. Initially, the track
follows the remains of a road constructed in the 1950s,
during the hydroelectric investigations. Flanking this
flat section is a grove of distinctive fushia trees forming
a natural avenue. They can be recognised by their flaky,
paper-thin red bark, which peels away from the often gnarled
and twisted trunks.
Known to Maori as kotukutuku, tree
fushia (Fushia excorticata) is not only unique
to New Zealand, but is the largest member of the fushia
family in the world. It also has the distinction of being
one of our few deciduous native species. In spring, the
lifeless-looking trees produce new leaves and, later,
green flowers that change in colour to an attractive burgundy.
The flowers occur in two forms,
a hermaphrodite (both male and female) flower, which can
be distinguished by its very unusual blue pollen, and
a female flower. Both occur in the same area but not on
the same tree.
Porika Lookout Track (1 hour 30 minutes or 3 hours return)
The Porika Lookout Track heads up onto the northern end
of the Muntz Range which runs along the eastern side of
Lake Rotoroa. From here, a spectacular view can be gained
of the lake and the surrounding bush-clad, bare-topped
mountain ranges.
The track begins after the parking
area on the road from the lodge which branches left a
short distance from our front door. Alternatively, begin
at the picnic area and walk a short way (10 minutes) along
the Lakeside Track, then take the Short Loop Track to
meet the Porika Track. This option passes through a delightful
area of mixed beech/podocarp forest with an impressive
variety of ferns, mosses, shrubs and tall forest trees.
Soon after leaving the parking
area, the four-wheel drive track, which is used to service
the power transmission lines, climbs steeply through the
beech forest in a series of zigzags to the lookout points.
The dark granite rock, flecked
with shining mica, that makes up the Muntz and Braeburn
Ranges, can be seen in the road cuttings. The 300 million
year old rock of the Rotoroa igneous complex lies on the
north-western side of the Alpine fault which runs across
the head of Lake Rotoroa in a SW to NE direction.
By contrast, the ranges on the
south-eastern side of the fault are composed of greywacke
and argillite. These are sedimentary in origin, having
been gradually accumulated on the bed of the ocean about
200 million years ago.
For a more interesting round-trip,
the walk over the historic Porika Track, which branches
off to the left after about 15-20 minutes, is the recommended
option. Allow 3 hours for the longer round trip and 1
hour 30 minutes for the shorter walk on the four-wheel
drive track. This was the stock route used by drovers
avoiding the steeper parts.
Long Walks Walks at the End of the
Lake: Sabine and D’Urville
Many say that the only way to really appreciate the beauty
of Lake Rotoroa is to take a boat trip to the end of the
lake. The Sabine and D’Urville rivers flow into
the southern end of Lake Rotoroa. There are numerous walks
and hikes which showcase the beauty of this conservation
area. Three examples are described, but there are many
others, such as to the peak of Mount Misery, which are
equally stunning.
Mouth of the Sabine to the Mouth
of the D’Urville (approx 3-4 hours)
It is possible to take a boat to the mouth of the Sabine,
walk up the Sabine for approximately 40 minutes, then
track back down the river and along the end of the lake
to the flats at the mouth of the D’Urville. This
walk will take approximately 3 hours during which time
you will be surrounded by the steepest of mountains, which
form the beginning of the Southern Alps such as Mount
Cedric (5026 ft/1532 m) and the Travers Range (approx
7415-7480 ft/2260–2280 m).
Mount Cedric (full day; approx 7-8 hours)
For the more adventurous and the fit, Mount Cedric provides
a very steep climb, during the first stage of which you
will gain well over 2953 feet (900 m) in 2½ miles
(4 km)! However this gradient lessens greatly as you clear
the tree line and see the breathtaking view over the entire
lake, Sabine Valley and surrounding mountains.
Multi-day treks into the National
Park (Sabine –
D’Urville 3 days)
For those who really want to experience the outback of
the National Park, and are prepared to overnight in the
Department of Conservation huts (placed strategically
around the parks for safety and shelter), it is possible
to walk all of the way to the West Sabine Hut (approx
6 hours), then onwards to the Blue Lake Hut (another 3-4
hours), which is a good place to overnight just on the
bush-line. If you push on another ½ mile (1 km)
to beyond the final stand of beech you will reach one
of the most stunning spots in the park with views over
Lake Constance and the Blue Lake, vivid in its blue and
turquoise colouration.
The following day you progress
towards Ella Hut which will take 5-6 hours and leads to
the summit of Moss Pass (5856 ft/1785 m) and see the view
of Mount Ella and the D’Urville Valley. To enter
this there is a steep, long descent to the swing bridge
across the D’Urville River and on to the Ella Hut
itself about ½
mile (1 km) north down the west bank of the river.
The final day of your trek you
will follow the D’Urville Valley all the way back
down towards Lake Rotoroa which will take the better part
of 8 hours. Meet the boat at the end of the lake and return
to the lodge for a hot shower and a meal that somebody
else has caringly prepared for you!
