Parking
Limited parking near the Wynyard Crescent/Fernhill Bike Park entrance; if those spaces are full, use only legal street parking and keep driveways clear. Bus #1 reaches Fernhill, followed by about a 500 m walk to the trailhead.
Overview
About Fernhill Loop Track
Fernhill Loop Track is a strenuous loop through the Fernhill Trails and Ben Lomond Reserve area above Queenstown. The mapped loop is about 7.6 km (4.75 miles) with roughly 500 m of ascent and typically takes 2–3.5 hours on foot. It combines steep, rooty singletrack, forest, open tussock and broad views over Lake Wakatipu toward the Remarkables.
Why go
- Quieter than nearby Queenstown classics while delivering broad lake and mountain views
- A complete loop with a demanding climb and a more forgiving return through the Fernhill network
Heads up
- Steep, rooty and sometimes muddy with confusing junctions
- Shared-use terrain with mountain bikes, including fast crossings and bike-only lines nearby
It is a good choice for hikers who want a demanding, quieter Queenstown outing with lake and mountain views close to town. It is a poor fit for anyone seeking a flat, highly signed or fully pedestrianised track.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs it worth it?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Queenstown-Lakes District map
Full mapElevation492–933 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 Fernhill Loop 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 area
St Omer Park: Quiet Lawns and Lake ViewsListen
“The green space opening up along the lake is St Omer Park. It’s a much quieter spot than the main town hub, with big open lawns perfect for a picnic.”
Plays on the road 1.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Queenstown-Lakes District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Sunshine Bay: A Quiet Lakeside Escape
- Skyline Gondola and Bob's Peak
- Queenstown Waterfront: Steamships, Jet Boats, and an Underwater View
- Queenstown Gardens: Lakeside Views and Disc Golf
- 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 Fernhill Loop Track
Route and accessStart at the Wynyard Crescent/Fernhill Bike Park entrance, the primary access identified for…
Start at the Wynyard Crescent/Fernhill Bike Park entrance, the primary access identified for this loop. The route climbs from the Fernhill side, reaches open higher ground around the upper Fernhill network, and returns through the connected track system to the same entrance; follow the loop in the signed direction and do not enter bike-only lines. The area also connects with the Skyline access road and other Ben Lomond trails, so check the map at junctions to remain on Fernhill Loop.
Underfoot and etiquetteExpect steep grades, exposed roots, tight turns, muddy patches and small stream crossings.
Expect steep grades, exposed roots, tight turns, muddy patches and small stream crossings. Signage can be confusing where the walking track meets the mountain-bike network. This is shared-use terrain: listen and look for riders, yield appropriately, and obey any local closures or bike-only signs. The upper section can hold snow or ice in winter.
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.
