Caples Track

Caples Track is a point-to-point tramp through the Caples valley, linking the Greenstone/Caples road end with The Divide Shelter on Milford Road. The route follows the forest edge and river flats, climbs through beech forest toward McKellar Saddle, then joins the Routeburn Track for the final approach to The Divide Shelter. It is the Caples side of the Greenstone–Caples network; it is not the full Greenstone–Caples loop by itself.\n\nThis one-way route is about 33.5 km/20.8 miles from the Greenstone/Caples road end to The Divide Shelter. The saved line includes the named Caples Track corridor and the mapped Routeburn connector from its northern junction to The Divide Shelter. Allow about 2–3 days for the full traverse, with time for long backcountry days and hut stops; the listed distance is the total one-way hike, not a return distance.\n\nExpect dense beech forest, river flats, grassy clearings and a more open subalpine feel around the saddle. Mid Caples Hut and Upper Caples Hut serve the Caples side, while the route connects with McKellar Hut and the wider Greenstone–Caples circuit. The track is quieter than nearby Great Walks, but its remoteness, stream crossings and changeable Fiordland weather demand a conservative plan.\n\nLeave a vehicle at the Greenstone/Caples road-end carpark or arrange a shuttle/car relocation between the two endpoints. Book huts and designated campsites where required, stay on marked tracks across private valley flats, and carry waterproof layers, food, navigation and emergency equipment. Mud, slippery roots, slips, swollen streams and snow or ice near the saddle can make progress slow; dogs are not permitted.