Parking
The walk starts opposite Arthur’s Pass Visitor Centre at 104 West Coast Road. The reviewed trail information does not identify a separate trailhead car park.
Overview
About Millennium Walk
Why go
- A quick village walk to a distinctive waterfall
- The bridge gives a view before the steep platform steps
Heads up
- Steep steps to the closer platform
- Trees can partly screen the waterfall
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Arthur's Pass map
Full mapElevation755–761 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Arthur's Pass alerts
- CautionFlood damage and rockfall risk on Harper Pass RouteFlood damage and an active slip affect the Harper Pass Route below Kiwi Hut and near Locke Stream Hut.Official details
- CautionFlood damage on route to Sudden Valley BivvySignificant flood damage makes the route to Sudden Valley Bivvy passable only when rivers are low.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Arthur's Pass Tour Guide
Your drive to Millennium Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Arthur's Pass National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Arthur's Pass Chapel and Avalanche Creek0:00 / 0:33
“You're nearing the village walk to Arthur's Pass Chapel and Avalanche Creek Waterfall. If the chapel is open, step inside: the large window above the altar frames the falls against the beech-covered hillside.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Arthur's Pass Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre
- Avalanche Creek Shelter Campsite
- Avalanche Peak from the Village
- Arthur's Pass Café and Store
- 42 audio storiesacross Arthur's Pass’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, New Zealand Falcon, Blue Duck, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 49 trails, 59 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Millennium Walk
A quick village walkBegin opposite the Arthur’s Pass Visitor Centre and follow the village path to Avalanche Creek.
Begin opposite the Arthur’s Pass Visitor Centre and follow the village path to Avalanche Creek. Allow about 10–15 minutes. The complete mapped loop is about 0.36 mi (575 m); other published figures range from 350 to 500 m, so treat the distance as approximate.
Bridge to the closer viewA small stone footbridge gives the first waterfall view.
A small stone footbridge gives the first waterfall view. Continue up the steep steps to a closer platform. This upper section is unsuitable for prams or wheelchairs; stop at the bridge for the easier part.
Chapel-side returnThe route reaches the road by Arthur’s Pass Chapel, whose altar window frames the falls, then…
The route reaches the road by Arthur’s Pass Chapel, whose altar window frames the falls, then follows the village footway back. Trees can partly screen the platform view. Cross West Coast Road carefully at the trail access.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Arthur's Pass
982 sightingsKeaMost seen around noonSighting map
39 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
190 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
20 sightingsKākāMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsWekaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
15 sightingsParadise ShelduckMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Arthur's Pass. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
