Parking
Park at the Lake Marian carpark off Hollyford Road (SH94 turnoff at Marian Corner). Gravel, limited spaces; can be busy in peak season and mornings.
Overview
About Marian Falls Track
Marian Falls Track is the easy opening section of the Lake Marian route, reached from Lake Marian car park via the unsealed Hollyford Road. From the car park, cross the suspension swing bridge and follow the mapped track through Fiordland rainforest to the series of waterfalls, ending where the longer Lake Marian Track begins.
The mapped corridor is about 0.39 miles one way, or roughly 0.79 miles return. Allow about 20 minutes for the return walk, with extra time for photographs and the swing bridge. This is a short, worthwhile stop on the Milford Road drive, but it is separate from the much longer and more demanding Lake Marian Track.
Marian Creek is swift and the rocks beside it are slippery, with a serious drowning risk. Stay on the formed track, keep away from the creek edge, and keep children within arm's reach. Expect wet ground and slick roots in Fiordland; sturdy waterproof footwear is sensible.
The car park is about 1 km down the unsealed Hollyford Road, reached from Milford Road (SH94) at Marian Corner. Dogs are not permitted on this conservation-land track. The falls are especially photogenic after rain, but do not approach the creek or waterfall edge.
Why go
- Sturdy viewing platform gives a safe, elevated look at the cascades
- Maximum scenery for minimal effort, including a swing bridge right from the start
Heads up
- Slick rocks and swift water at the creek require real caution
- Small gravel carpark can fill quickly in peak times
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Fiordland map
Full mapElevation322–394 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 Marian Falls 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 tourRecorded for this trailhead
Lake Marian: A Classic Fiordland Alpine HikeListen
“The car park ahead is the beginning of the Lake Marian Track, which offers some of the best alpine scenery for a half-day hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Fiordland Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Pop's View Lookout and the Hollyford Valley
- Marian Cascade: A Powerful Short Walk
- Jamestown: Fiordland's Ghost Town
- Tuna of the Hollyford: Fiordland’s Long‑Lived River Travelers
- 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.
