Parking
Access the track from Coronet Peak Road via the Morning Glory MTB connector, or use Arrowtown parking and climb/descend the Bush Creek Track to link with the Water Race.
Overview
About Coronet Face Water Race Track
A 6 km one‑way, dual‑use singletrack cut into the face of Coronet Peak, this historic water‑race traverse serves up constant views over the Whakatipu Basin. It’s graded around easy/intermediate (roughly Grade 2–3), but don’t underestimate it: the bench is narrow in places with exposure on the outer edge, tight corners, and a handful of small stream crossings. Plan around 45–120 minutes one way depending on direction and stops. Length is 6 km (one way), not including any connectors you use to get to or from the track.
Why go
- Historic gold‑rush water race with visible remnants along the traverse
- Constant Wakatipu Basin views without a huge climb once you’re on the bench
Heads up
- Exposure and narrow corners demand confident handling, especially near Bush Creek Saddle
- Multiple creek crossings that spike after rain and can turn the track greasy
If you like historic trails with real exposure and big views, this is a gem and a classy link toward Arrowtown. If you’re uncomfortable with heights or managing speed on narrow, off‑camber corners, it can feel committing. For a much bigger mission, the 50 km Coronet Loop (mostly Grade 3, 4–8 hours by bike) uses the Water Race as a section and dives deeper into backcountry scenery and mining relics.
Parkwolf’s verdictWho will love it (and who won’t)Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Queenstown-Lakes District map
Full mapElevation743–829 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 Coronet Face Water Race 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
Exploring Historic Arrowtown and the Gold RushListen
“You're pulling into historic Arrowtown. The main road, Buckingham Street, is a preserved gold-rush era street where the old timber and stone buildings now hold cafes and boutiques.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Skippers Canyon Lookout and the Infamous Road
- Coronet Peak: Queenstown's Original Ski Field
- Hamilton Jet: The Kiwi Speedboat Invention
- Oxenbridge Tunnel: A Gold Miner's Failed Gamble
- 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 Coronet Face Water Race Track
Route optionsMost riders drop in from Coronet Peak Road via the Morning Glory MTB trail to meet the Water…
Most riders drop in from Coronet Peak Road via the Morning Glory MTB trail to meet the Water Race, turn left, and traverse to Bush Creek Saddle. From there, either continue down the Bush Creek Track to Arrowtown (still intermediate with a few steep pinches and tight corners) or retrace your line back along the Water Race to Coronet Peak Road. You can also climb up from Arrowtown via Bush Creek to the saddle and traverse out to Coronet Peak Road if you prefer to earn the views.
What you’ll seeYou’re literally riding a slice of gold‑rush history: the water race was built in the 1860s to…
You’re literally riding a slice of gold‑rush history: the water race was built in the 1860s to carry water for sluicing at Arthur’s Point, and remnants of that era still pepper the hillsides. The trail threads tussock meadows, pockets of remnant beech forest, and beneath schist bluffs—classic Otago geology that explains the narrow, exposed bench and rocky corners. Views stretch across the Whakatipu Basin and surrounding ranges.
Trail character and conditionsExpect variable surfaces—mud, rock, and roots—and those small creek crossings can run higher…
Expect variable surfaces—mud, rock, and roots—and those small creek crossings can run higher after heavy rain. The track is shared two‑way by walkers, runners, and riders. It narrows near Bush Creek Saddle and there are exposed corners where a cool head and controlled speed matter; walk sections if you’re unsure or riding with kids. Alpine weather can flip from heat to wind, cold, or even snow, and the track can suffer slips or flood damage after storms.
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.
