Parking
No standard trailhead parking. Most access via shuttle to the Hollyford Road end and flights or boat transfers to/from Martins Bay; Big Bay access is typically by air or multi‑day tramping.
Overview
About Big Bay–Martins Bay Coastal Route
Why go
- Genuine solitude—many parties see no one for days
- Regular chance to spot Fiordland crested penguins and fur seals
- Awarua River bridge at Big Bay eases one major crossing
Heads up
- Unmarked and overgrown coastal sections require navigation and tide judgment
- McKenzie Creek and other watercourses can be impassable after rain
- No road access; weather, surf and private-property tracks can delay or strand parties
This is a serious wilderness coast route for experienced trampers who can navigate unmarked shoreline, assess tides and rivers, and carry a self-sufficient backcountry setup. It is not a dependable fixed-schedule walk.
Parkwolf’s verdictBottom lineMap & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Fiordland Tour Guide
Your drive to Big Bay–Martins Bay Coastal Route, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Fiordland 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.
See the Fiordland audio tour- 126 audio storiesacross Fiordland’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Fiordland Penguin, Blue Duck, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 68 trails, 124 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 Big Bay–Martins Bay Coastal Route
What to expectThis is the remote coastal route between Big Bay Hut and Martins Bay Hut at the northern edge…
This is the remote coastal route between Big Bay Hut and Martins Bay Hut at the northern edge of Fiordland. The route follows beaches, rocky foreshore, low scrub and obvious coastal terrain past Long Reef, with a chance of seeing New Zealand fur seals and Fiordland crested penguins. It is unmarked in places and the former scrub track beyond Long Reef is now overgrown; be prepared to stay on the foreshore and time the route around tides.
McKenzie Creek can be impassable after rain. At Big Bay, the Awarua River is reached through a confusing network of private baches and informal tracks; use the marked swing bridge and respect private property. This is a remote route with no road access, limited navigation certainty and rapidly changing coastal weather. Carry a PLB, map, full wet-weather gear and enough food and shelter to wait out unsafe conditions.
Distance and timeThe current DOC section listing gives 16 km one way and 4–5 hours.
The current DOC section listing gives 16 km one way and 4–5 hours. A route-specific mapped line measures 13.0 km; the difference reflects the unmarked foreshore and route choices around creeks, tide and private dwellings. Allow a full day: the route-guide estimate is 8 DOC hours for the rough, overgrown coastal section, and high water or rain can make progress much slower.
Access and logisticsThere is no standard roadhead or trailhead parking.
There is no standard roadhead or trailhead parking. Big Bay and Martins Bay are normally reached by boat, aircraft or a longer multi-day route. Confirm current access, tide windows, river conditions and hut arrangements before setting out; do not rely on the line alone to find a safe crossing.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Fiordland
1,181 sightingsKeaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
199 sightingsFiordland PenguinMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
228 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
32 sightingsBottlenose DolphinMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
247 sightingsNew Zealand Fur SealMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
58 sightingsKākāMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Fiordland. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
