The Milford Track is a hiking (tramping) trail (track) in Fiordland National Park on New Zealand's South Island. It is one of New Zealand's Great Walks.
Understand
[edit]The Milford Track was formed in 1888 following the discovery of the Mackinnon Pass by Quintin McKinnon and Ernest Mitchell. Until the Homer Tunnel opened in 1954, it served as the only land route into Milford Sound. Today, it is a Department of Conservation Great Walk and is widely considered one of the finest hikes in the world. The entire 53.5 km track takes four days to complete and must be walked in one direction, from the Te Anau end to Milford Sound.
Prepare
[edit]The track is not recommended for children under 10, and those under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Peak season runs from late October to late April. Bookings are required during this time. These bookings can be made online. Make sure to book early, as popular dates are often booked many months ahead of time. Many dates in December and January are fully booked within minutes of booking opening (usually in June or July). In May 2022, the track was fully booked for the whole summer 13 minutes after booking opened. In 2025 the start of the season was delayed due to avalanche damage and some October and November bookings were cancelled.
- Great Walks Booking Desk, Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre, Lakefront Drive, Te Anau, ☏ +64 3 249-8514, fax: +64 3 249-0257, [email protected]. For the 2025-26 summer season, the hut fees are $456 for international visitors and $318 for locals. You can also book the connecting boats to the start and from the finish.
Eat
[edit]Independent walkers must pack in all their own food, as there are no opportunities to purchase supplies on the track. It is recommended to carry high-energy, low-weight foods and at least one extra day of emergency rations. While gas cookers are provided in the huts during the peak season, you must bring your own pots, lighters, and utensils, such as a spork. In the off-peak season, walkers must also carry their own stoves and fuel. Those on a guided walk with Ultimate Hikes have their meals provided in private lodges, significantly reducing their pack weight.
Drink
[edit]Water is available at all huts, sourced from nearby rivers or rainfall. This water is not regularly tested for Giardia, so while many trampers drink it directly, treatment via filters or iodine tablets is recommended. It is vital to carry a bottle or hydration bladder to ensure you can drink regularly throughout the day.
Sleep
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Accommodation on the track is provided in communal huts. Independent walkers sleep in bunkrooms on provided mattresses, but they must carry their own sleeping bags as no linens or heating are provided. Because bunkrooms are shared with a large number of people, earplugs are a useful addition. Guided walkers stay in private lodges like Glad House which offer more amenities, including hot showers and drying rooms. Due to the abundance of sandflies and the likelihood of wet weather keeping you indoors, it is a good idea to bring a book or a small game for evening entertainment.
Climate
[edit]Careful planning is essential as the track is remote and subject to extreme weather. The peak season runs from late October to late April. Outside this window, the track is only suitable for experienced alpine trampers due to snow and flood risks. All walkers must be prepared for the area's legendary rainfall by packing high-quality wet-weather gear and a complete set of dry clothing.
Get in
[edit]The track starts at the head of Lake Te Anau. Boat transport is required to get to the start of the track. All reservations should be made at least one week in advance. Popular dates in peak season are often booked many months ahead of time, so make sure to book early! Real Journeys operates lake transfers from Te Anau Downs to Glade House during track season. (The start of the Milford Track) website
For fit runners, it is possible to run the 53.5 km Milford Track in a single day, starting with a 7 am boat from Milford Sound to Sandfly Point and aiming to reach Glade Wharf by the 4 pm cutoff. As of 2023, the initial boat transport costs 220 NZD for up to four people (55 NZD per additional person), while the return boat for those arriving by 4 pm is 95 NZD per person. Missing this window is costly: the 6 pm boat fee jumps to 600 NZD for up to five people (95 NZD per extra person), with further late fees of 150 NZD per hour applied after 4 pm or 6 pm respectively. For logistics, a car shuttle service is available to relocate vehicles from Milford Sound to Te Anau Downs.
Walk
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The route described here assumes that you are walking independently and staying at the DOC huts. If you do a guided walk, you will follow the same route, but have different overnight stops and so will generally be an hour or two behind the independent walkers. This prevents walkers feeling crowded. Walkers on the guided walks have relatively luxurious facilities, but pay about five times as much as those using the DOC huts.
Due to the booking system of the Great Walk, it is not an option to pass a hut in an effort to move on to the next hut. Also, there is no camping allowed on the Milford Track.
During the peak season the huts, Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling, have gas cookers, tables, cold running water, lighting and heating in the common area. The bunkrooms are communal with mattresses provided. Flush toilets are also available.
Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut
5 km 
1-1.5 hr
As somewhat of a gift from the DOC, the first day is rather easy with just over an hour consumed riding on a boat to the track start. On the boat trip you will pass a memorial cross at the point where Quintin Mackinnon's empty boat was found after he went missing in 1892.
From the landing at 1 Glade Wharf you tramp about 5 km. to the Clinton Hut where you will spend your first night. Along the way you will pass Glade House, the hut for guided walkers. The track is track is fairly level and follows the Clinton River.
Once at Clinton hut, you may take some time to go swimming in the Clinton River or take a short trip through the nearby wetlands on a boardwalk. Depending on the DOC staffing at the hut, the warden(s) may offer an interpretation trip in the late afternoon.
After dark you can go for a few hundred yards along the track (in the direction you will go tomorrow) to a small community of glow worms.
Clinton Hut to Mintaro hut
16.5 km 6 hr
The track is a gentle ascent, following the Cliton River toward Lake Mintaro. This section crosses through more than 50 avalanche passes, making it extremely dangerous in the off-peak season. There are several sections of the track where stopping is not permitted due to the risk of avalanche - avoid stopping for a break or lunch in these sections, but a 10 second stop to take a photo should be ok.
Flooding is also a consideration on this day's tramp. Between Hirere Falls and Marlenes Creek a heavy rain can cause problems for walkers. If it is wet you can pause for shelter at 1 Hirere Falls and at the 2 Bus Stop Shelter.
A short detour may be possible to 2 Hidden Lake, but this track is sometimes closed due to the avalanche risk.
About an hour and a half from this night's hut is a turn-off for Pompolona Hut where guided walkers stay the night. About 1 mile after this is the 3 St Quintin Falls, a 230m waterfall.
After gaining about 250 m. in elevation, much of it in the last couple of hours, you'll spend the night in Mintaro hut. The hut is shortly after passing Lake Mintaro. The lake was named after Frederick Mintaro Bailey Muir, a photographer in Mackinnon's party. In 2021 a new Mintaro hut was opened, which is about 1 km (0.62 mi) uphill from Lake Mintaro. Nearby Lake Mintaro is worth a short stroll on a nice day.
Mintaro hut to Dumpling hut
14 km 6-7 hr
You’ll start the day at about 500 m and finish near 100 m, crossing Mackinnon Pass at 1,069 m along the way.
From Mintaro Hut, it takes a little over two hours to reach the pass, passing the Mackinnon Memorial en route. (As an interesting aside, if you were to take the plunge from the memorial, it would take you nearly 12 seconds to hit the bottom.) At the top, there’s a shelter with a toilet and, in summer, a cooking ring.
From the pass, it’s 8 km to Dumpling hut, dropping 970 m over uneven ground. Take regular breaks to ease the strain of the descent. Early in the season, the main track may be closed due to avalanche risk, in which case a steeper emergency route is used.
Dumpling hut to Sandfly Point
18 km 5.5-6 hr
This is your final day on the Milford Track. Allow time to look at the 4 Mackay Falls. The boat will pick you up at 3 Sandfly Point, where there is a shelter with separate waiting areas for independent and guided walkers.
- 7 Mitre Peak Lodge. The final night for guided walks is on the sound, after the ferry.
Stay safe
[edit]Safety on the Milford Track depends on being prepared for the region's notoriously volatile weather and extreme rainfall, which can lead to rapid flooding or hypothermia. Because the area is remote and lacks road access, aircraft are the primary method for search and rescue if you become lost or injured. It is essential to carry a comprehensive first aid kit, pack plenty of insect repellent to protect against relentless sandflies, and always check the latest weather forecast at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre before starting your journey.
Go next
[edit]- The track ends at Sandfly Point near Milford Sound. Boat transport is required to get from the end of the track. All reservations should be made at least one week in advance.
- The Milford Road will take you back to Te Anau.
- Routeburn Track
- Rakiura Track on Stewart Island