Parking
Marked car park on the Glenorchy–Queenstown Road, 14 km from Queenstown. Summer parking can be busy; do not park on the roadside or reverse onto the highway.
Overview
About Bob's Cove Track
Bob's Cove Track is an easy-to-intermediate out-and-back walk from the Glenorchy–Queenstown Road to Punatapu / Bob's Cove and the Picnic Point lookout. The physical corridor is about 1.95 km one way; allow about 3.9 km (2.4 miles) for the return outing and roughly 1 hour, including the short steep loop at Picnic Point.
Why go
- Short lakeside native-bush walk with Bob's Cove swimming and fishing access
- Historic 1800s lime kiln and panoramic Picnic Point views on one outing
Heads up
- The brief Picnic Point climb is steep and can be slippery when wet or icy
- The Glenorchy–Queenstown Road car park can be busy and requires care around fast traffic
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Queenstown-Lakes District map
Full mapElevation308–353 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
1 active Queenstown-Lakes District alert
- ClosureSkippers Bridge closed to all trafficSkippers Bridge is closed to all vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians; do not cross.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide
Your drive to Bob's Cove Track, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Queenstown-Lakes District, New Zealand. 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 Queenstown-Lakes District audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Bob's Cove: A Classic Lakeside Loop with HistoryListen
“You're nearing the pull-off for Bob's Cove, which has a brilliant loop track. It's an easy two-kilometre walk, and a perfect quick stop.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Carving the Glenorchy Road
- Mt Crichton Loop: Gold Rush History and Forest Walk
- Twelve Mile Delta: Lakefront Camp and LOTR Site
- Wilson Bay: A Pebbly Beach with Trail Access
- 164 audio storiesacross Queenstown-Lakes District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Kākā, Kererū, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 37 trails, 111 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 Bob's Cove Track
Route and highlightsFrom the marked car park, the track descends through native bush to Bob's Cove, where you can…
From the marked car park, the track descends through native bush to Bob's Cove, where you can swim and fish from the shore. It continues through the cove area to an 1800s lime kiln, then climbs the short steep Picnic Point loop for views over the cove, Lake Wakatipu, and the surrounding mountains. Return to the car park on the same marked corridor. The track connects onward to the Twelve Mile Delta Track; that continuation is outside this short Bob's Cove experience.
Access and logisticsThe car park is on the Glenorchy–Queenstown Road, 14 km from Queenstown.
The car park is on the Glenorchy–Queenstown Road, 14 km from Queenstown. Parking can be busy in summer; visit in the morning or early evening when possible. Do not park on the roadside or reverse out onto the highway, where traffic travels quickly. Dogs are allowed on a leash. Mountain biking is permitted on the undulating main track but not on the Picnic Point loop. Fires are not allowed. The nearby old bridle track is permanently closed; use the marked track only.
Difficulty and conditionsThe route is suitable for an easy outing overall, with one short steep climb that may be…
The route is suitable for an easy outing overall, with one short steep climb that may be slippery when wet or icy. The lakeshore and lookout are exposed to sun and wind, so carry sun protection and a wind layer.
HistoryThe lime kiln remains from the 1800s, when the Wakatipu Lime Company quarried and processed…
The lime kiln remains from the 1800s, when the Wakatipu Lime Company quarried and processed limestone at Punatapu / Bob's Cove; nearby gum trees were planted as kiln fuel.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Queenstown-Lakes District
189 sightingsKeaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
18 sightingsKākāMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
195 sightingsKererūMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
48 sightingsWekaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
239 sightingsTūīMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
97 sightingsBellbirdMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Queenstown-Lakes District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
