Milford Track is an incredibly popular multi-day hike, some even claim it’s world-famous! For those of us who aren’t keen on spending nights in huts and lugging around massive backpacks full of essentials, there are two options to experience the Milford Track day hike in portions. Not only are these sections relatively easy to hike, they are also super easy to access, with boating options available just for day hikers.
You’ll get to experience some of the highlights of the Milford track without having to commit to days of walking. These sections of the trail are relatively flat and not super long, leaving them open to more ability levels than the multi-day hike version.
But the question remains, which part of the track should you hike? Do you splash out and try both sections, or do you stick with just one? We’ve broken down the highlights of each option so you can make the best decision for you!
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Option 1: Start of the Milford Track
Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut
Details
Starting Point: The boat leaves from Te Anau Downs Wharf, a 20-min drive from Te Anau. The hike starts at Glade Wharf.
Distance: 11km
Duration: 6hrs, including the 2hrs spent on the boat getting to and from Glade Wharf.
Difficulty: Easy
Cost of Boat Ride: $125 per adult.
Trail Map
Getting to the Starting Point of Milford Track Day Hike Option 1
The boat ride to Glade Wharf is about 50 minutes long. It’s a relatively small boat with bench like seating and not a lot to hold onto when it’s bumpy. It got so rough on our boat ride back that Tiff actually fell off the seat! Hold on where you can when it’s rough, and pack some sea sick tablets if you get motion sickness. It is on a lake, but that lake is so big that you still get choppy water, especially when it’s a little windy.
Other than the bumpy ride, the boat trip is beautiful, so make sure your camera is ready to take some shots of the surrounding mountains. Make sure you double-check what time your pickup is, as there is only one boat and one way to get back to your car. You don’t want to miss the boat and get stuck for the night!
The Trail
You’ll want to pack a cute picnic lunch for this hike that’s heralded as one of the most romantic walks in New Zealand. You could even be as cute as us and book it for Valentine’s Day!
The trail starts at a lovely wharf and almost immediately surrounds you with romantic native mossy forest and plenty of dappled light. The track starts off wide and well maintained, and apart from a few narrow sections it stays this way. You’ll soon emerge into a small clearing with an impressive looking house in its mist. This is for private walkers doing guided tours of the full Milford track.
A little way up from Glade House, you’ll find a turn-off to a drop toilet just before the bridge.
Clinton Swing Bridge
The famous Milford track swing bridge! We waited longer than we are proud of to get this shot of Tiff walking along the bridge. It does look pretty epic, though, so it was worth the wait. It’s a cool bridge and features on almost all the Milford track brochures. Getting a pic on the bridge feels like one of those things you just have to do when doing this hike.
The Wetland Side Track
From the swing bridge, the track follows the Clinton River all the way up to Clinton Hut. It’s an easy walk through the trees, catching glimpses of the river and even spots where you can wander down to the riverside and dip your fingers in the water. Save your swim for the best section of beach up near Clinton Hut.
Keep your eyes peeled for the signposted side trail that takes you out to an impressive wetland area. This was our highlight of the hike. Not only do you get to wander along the boardwalk to spot wetland plants, you also get to enjoy the views of this glacially carved valley. We adored the view and had a great time reading all the information boards here and spotting the bright red carnivorous plants.
Clinton Hut
After your little detour to the wetland, it’s not long before you’ll come to Clinton Hut. There are toilets here along with plenty of shady spots to sit down at a table and enjoy your picnic lunch.
From here you’ll retrace your steps to Glade wharf to meet your boat back to Te Anau downs. If time is on your side, you’ll want to stop for a swim before heading back. The beach on the river just before Clinton Hut is a great spot for a dip.
If you are unsure how long the walk back is going to take you, walk a little further along the river and go for a dip at the beach just before the swing bridge if time allows.
Option 2: End of the Milford Track
Sandfly Point to Giant Gate Falls
Details
Starting Point: Boat leaving from Milford Sound at Deep Water Basin. The hike starts at Sandfly Point.
Distance: 10.6km
Duration: 3-4hrs, allowing for stops.
Difficulty: Easy
Cost of Boat Ride: $65 per adult
Trail Map
Getting to the Starting Point of Milford Track Day Hike Option 2
Park in the parking area along Deep Water Basin Road and walk down to the end of the road to find the boat ramp. You’ll meet your skipper here and after a 10-minute boat ride across Deep Water Basin you’ll be dropped off at Sandfly Point.
There isn’t an exact time of pickup for this one, as the boat will come and go every half hour until the last pickup of the evening. Just make sure you know when the last boat departs so you don’t miss it!
The Trail
If you arrive at low tide, make sure to take the short little walk to the right of the jetty you just arrived at. During high tide, you won’t be able to get up the steps to the bridge here. Whilst it’s a short little side trail, it’s worth just walking across the board-walked bridge to get another view out over the water.
Back on the main walkway from the jetty, you’ll quickly come across a day shelter and some toilets. From here, the trail follows the beautiful Arthur river up to Lake Ada, taking in the pristine rainforest and many a waterfall amongst the surrounding mountains.
Lake Ada
Make sure you take the little side trail out to lake Ada. Here you can sit on the rocks and enjoy the view with a quick snack before the sandflies really start to set in. Most of the trail is shaded in the rainforest, with only a few more open sections offering views of the valley and those numerous waterfalls Milford Sound is so well known for. The main attraction however is the Giant Gate Falls and your target for this Milford Track day hike.
Giant Gate Falls
At around 30 meters high, this impressive waterfall has carved its way through some thick rock and is best seen from the swing bridge crossing the river. There are ample spots to stop for lunch on either side of the river, taking in the impressive falls, and staying in the shade away from other hikers is incredible easy here. There is even a day shelter just after the swing bridge.
Once you’ve enjoyed your lunch, we recommend continuing along the trail a little way if time is on your side. The forest here is truly lush and worth wandering a little further for if you can. Otherwise, make sure you have a dip in the deep pools of the river near Giant Gate Falls before retracing your steps to Sandfly Point and catching your boat back.
Which Milford Track Day Hike is the Best?
Short Answer: Option 2 was our favourite.
Obviously, this depends on your circumstances and is very much a personal choice. We felt that the end of the hike (Option 2) was much better than the start. Not only is it cheaper to get to the end of the hike, you also get to see more of the valley and a cool waterfall! The hike was just more interesting and easier to enjoy without the pressure of only one boat departure time to rush back for on option 1.
We enjoyed the start of the trail (Option 1) but found the cost to get out there wasn’t really worth it for the hike you do. Yes the swimming spot is wonderful and the detour out to the swap is amazing but given how expensive the boat trip is we didn’t feel it was quite worth the cost.
Whilst you are given enough time to get back to the boat on this one, it isn’t a lot of time to do extra exploring on the trail. We really don’t like having time crunches when on hikes and found that the limit of only getting 3hrs to do the hike was just not enough for us, an extra half an hour for flexibility would have made all the difference!
