Parking
Use the signed Homer Tunnel Parking Area on Milford Sound Highway at the eastern (Hollyford-side) portal. Park only when the area is signed open, follow current DOC/NZ Transport Agency controls, and never stop on the SH94 shoulder.
Overview
About Homer Tunnel Nature Walk
This short, self-guided alpine nature walk starts at the Homer Tunnel Parking Area on the eastern (Hollyford-side) portal of the Homer Tunnel. From the signed parking area, the path climbs gently through a rocky alpine zone and loops among boulders, subalpine shrubs, and tussocks before returning along the same access leg. The mapped physical corridor is about 0.28 miles; because the access leg is walked out and back, the visitor walk is roughly 0.43 miles (0.7 km) total. Allow about 20 minutes return.
The route is easy but exposed to Fiordland’s fast-changing mountain weather. The loop has minimal elevation change, with an elevation profile around 939–947 metres, and the interest is the landscape rather than a long destination hike. Alpine buttercups, daisies, shrubs, and tussocks are especially rewarding when the snow has cleared.
Kea are often seen around the Homer Tunnel; a rare rock wren may sometimes be heard or glimpsed among the large boulders. Do not feed wildlife, and keep loose belongings secure around kea.
Access is dependent on the Milford Road and the signed parking area being open. Avalanche and rockfall hazards can close the road, parking area, or walk, especially in winter. Check current DOC and NZ Transport Agency notices, follow all signs, and carry warm waterproof layers; do not stop on the highway shoulder or enter a closed area.
Why go
- Perfect leg-stretcher while waiting at the tunnel lights
- High-alpine scenery with almost no effort
Heads up
- Fast-changing alpine weather and exposed rocky ground
- Access can close during avalanche or rockfall controls
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Fiordland map
Full mapElevation939–947 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 Homer Tunnel Nature Walk, 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 tourRecorded for this trailhead
The Homer Tunnel: Gateway to Milford SoundListen
“You're about to drive through the Homer Tunnel, a 1.2-kilometer passage blasted straight through solid granite. The walls inside are raw, unlined rock, making for a memorable drive.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Fiordland Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Pīwauwau/Rock Wren: The Alpine Survivor
- Say It Right: Pronouncing Māori Place Names
- Southern Skies Over Fiordland
- Why Fiordland's Water Changes Color
- 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!!!!”
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.
