St Arnaud Range Track

• Saint Arnaud
• Walks & Hikes

---

The St Arnaud Range track climbs steadily through red beech, silver beech and mountain beech forest for approximately two hours, before emerging at Parachute Rocks. Moraine terraces, valleys and lake tarns shape the dramatic landscape, a result of glacial activity in the Nelson Lakes National Park many, many years ago.

You’ll pass through shrubs, tussocks and flowering alpine fields, reaching a height of over 1650 metres. The views over the lakes from Parachute Rocks are truly spectacular, but it’s the extra half hour climb to the ridgeline that offers 360-degree scenery of Wairau Valley, Mount Richmond Forest Park, Kahurangi National Park and Nelson Lakes National Park.

The walk itself is physically demanding, and exceptionally steep in some areas, but can feasibly be completed in approximately 5-6 hours return.

How to get there: The St Arnaud Range Track starts at the east of Kerr Bay at Lake Rotoiti, and is accessible via a fork in the Lakehead or Honeydew Track.

Photo credits: (1-2) Jenelle Strickland, (3) Department of Conservation.