5 Rankers Reviews
4 Face-to-Face
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
FREE MAP - The best of 21 nature guidebooks on one map.
Walk through the Remarkables ski field lift system to a perfect alpine lake.
From Queenstown, cross the Kawerau River on SH6 towards Kingston and turn left at the junction to the Remarkables ski field.
The access road winds up nearly 1000 metres, the last few kms unsealed. Stop at Windy Point lookout and continue to the parking area by the base building.
There’s a map of the summer terrain. Take a close look and head up the steps.
The track follows the ski field road to the top of the Alta Chair lift. This section is a wide metalled road.
A signposted junction then leads to the track proper, a narrow, winding single-file snake over the schist. Interpretation panels give details on the natural history and tell a story of the life up here.
The track concludes beside and above the blue waters of the lake, with the schist peaks pointing skywards as a backdrop.
Return via the same track.
The Remarkables are a schistose range harbouring unique biota.
Bogs, cushion communities, alpine plants and tussocks are all up here. The interpretation panels are some of the best presented of anywhere.
Insects, moths, crickets and lizards thrive in these harsh alpine zones. So close to such annihilation of their habitat by the ski field infrastructure. But they seem to co-habit just fine.
Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Central government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township |
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Categories |
C Clarke
Ranking: 9/10
Lovely scenic drive up to the Remarkables Ski Area carpark, good public toilet facilities. Walk up to Lake Alta is stunning with tracks through bogs and streams - signs posts could be clearer.
Thank You - to the thousands of travellers that have contributed to our Top Voted NZ Activities Map - it's free from Rankers.
Nivault
Ranking: 8/10
Easy walk through the ski area with a beautiful blue lake at the end (you have to climb a little if you want to see the blue colour of the lake).
Judith & John Bishop
Ranking: 10/10
Short spectacular alpine track to a small pristine mountain lake. The track is only a short not too grunty climb to the top edge of the lake which is nestled behind the top of the Remarkables. You can go further - the views are amazing. On a clear day Mt Cook is visible in the distance.
Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍