Parking
No road access. Arrange boat transport across Lake Hauroko to the Hauroko Burn Hut drop-off, typically from the southern lake ramp.
Overview
About Hauroko Burn Track
Why go
- Boat access and low traffic preserve a genuinely wild Fiordland experience
- Hauroko Burn, Halfway and Lake Roe huts provide important shelter on a remote route
Heads up
- Rain can raise rivers and force unplanned layovers
- Mud, treefall and sparse marking make progress slow and navigation demanding
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Fiordland map
Full mapElevation172–870 m
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 Hauroko Burn Track, 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 Hauroko Burn Track
What to ExpectThis is the southern, one-way Hauroko Burn section of the Dusky Track, linking a boat-accessed…
This is the southern, one-way Hauroko Burn section of the Dusky Track, linking a boat-accessed start at Hauroko Burn Hut with Lake Roe Hut via Halfway Hut. Expect remote Fiordland beech forest, river valleys, mud, treefall and steep, rough ground above the Hauroko Burn. It is an advanced backcountry route with no road access or cell service.
Length and TimeThe verified route line is about 11.7 miles (18.8 km) one way, with no return corridor stored.
The verified route line is about 11.7 miles (18.8 km) one way, with no return corridor stored. DOC's section listings headline the same itinerary as 10.5 km from Lake Hauroko to Halfway Hut and 7 km from Halfway Hut to Lake Roe Hut; the app length follows the more detailed mapped line. Allow a full day in good conditions and more time if rain raises the rivers; Parkwolf's planning time is 9 hours.
Difficulty and ConditionsThis is for experienced trampers only.
This is for experienced trampers only. Fiordland rain can raise rivers quickly, while deep mud, fallen trees, indistinct marking, steep terrain and three-wire bridges can slow progress. Carry a personal locator beacon, robust wet-weather gear, spare food and a map; be ready to wait out unsafe crossings.
Scenery and WildlifeThe route moves from Lake Hauroko's forested shore into the Hauroko Burn valley, then climbs…
The route moves from Lake Hauroko's forested shore into the Hauroko Burn valley, then climbs toward the open, tarn-studded country around Lake Roe. Silver beech and podocarp forest, mossy river corridors and remote mountain views define the journey. Native robins, tomtits, bellbirds and kiwi may be encountered, though sightings are never guaranteed.
Logistics and AccessThere is no road access to Hauroko Burn Hut.
There is no road access to Hauroko Burn Hut. Arrange a boat across Lake Hauroko, usually from the southern boat ramp, and plan transport from Lake Roe onward as part of the wider Dusky Track itinerary. DOC huts are basic and first-come, first-served; carry water-treatment supplies and build in weather contingency.
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.
