Parking
Park at Rainbow Reach Car Park on the signposted turnoff from the Te Anau–Manapouri road, then cross the Rainbow Reach swing bridge to start the track.
Overview
About Shallow Bay Track
This easy out-and-back follows the Kepler Track from Rainbow Reach Car Park to Shallow Bay Hut on the shore of Lake Manapouri. Start by crossing the Rainbow Reach swing bridge, then continue through Fiordland beech forest, wetlands, boardwalks, and gentle undulations to the quiet bay and hut.
Allow 3–3.5 hours for the 12 km/7.5 mile return walk. The stored line follows the maintained one-way corridor to the hut; the visitor distance includes the return along the same track. The route is generally well formed and signposted, with only modest elevation change.
The forest, river crossing, lake views, and peaceful shoreline make this a rewarding, lower-key section of the Kepler Track. Shallow Bay Hut is a simple six-bunk hut nearby, and Moturau Hut lies farther along the track if you are extending the walk.
Park at Rainbow Reach Car Park and bring food, water, and insect repellent—there are no facilities at the bay. Expect wetter ground and slippery boardwalks after rain, limited mobile service, and sandflies near the water. Dogs are not permitted in Fiordland National Park.
Why go
- Less trafficked than other Kepler Track sections but just as scenic
- Inviting lake edge at the turnaround point for a swim or picnic
Heads up
- Sandflies can be intense near the water, especially in summer
- Limited mobile reception and no facilities at the bay
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Fiordland map
Full mapElevation178–264 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 Shallow Bay 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 area
Rainbow Reach and the Kepler Track: A Purpose‑Built Great WalkListen
“You’re at Rainbow Reach, which is the most straightforward way to get a taste of the Kepler Track. Most of Fiordland's famous walks follow old pioneer trails, but not this one.”
Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Fiordland Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Queens Reach: The River Anduin
- Pomona and Rona: Manapouri’s Island Sanctuaries
- Old Coach Road: A Lakeside Stroll
- Te Anau: The Gateway to Fiordland
- 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.
