There are some amazing walks around Lake Wakatipu.
But which one is best for you?
It doesn’t really matter which Lake Wakatipu walk you choose. They all have views of the lake and mountains which is what you’re looking for.
This post will cover the most popular Lake Wakatipu walks near Queenstown as that’s what most of you will be looking for.
The map below isn’t fancy, but it gives you an idea of where the walks are so you can see which ones might suit based on your location. I’ll add the best places to park your car for each walk in the descriptions below.
THE 7 LAKE WAKATIPU WALKS
1. FAQS ABOUT LAKE WAKATIPU
2. SUNSHINE BAY TRACK
3. QUEENSTOWN LAKEFRONT
4. QUEENSTOWN GARDENS
5. FRANKTON TRACK
6. KAWARAU BRIDGE TO KELVIN HEIGHTS
7. KELVIN PENINSULA TRACK
8. JACK’S POINT TRAIL
9. SEVEN MILE POINT TRACK
10. BOB’S COVE TRACK
1. FAQS ABOUT LAKE WAKATIPU
Can you walk around Lake Wakatipu?
There are lots of sections around Lake Wakatipu that you can walk. But can you walk around Lake Wakatipu in its entirety? In theory, yes.
But it’s a long way (think over 150km), and crosses various sections of private land you’d need to get permission from. So practically? No.
I’ve heard indirect stories of one person doing it back in the 1990s.
Are there fish in Lake Wakatipu?
Yes. Longfin eel, brown trout, salmon, and rainbow trout can be found in Lake Wakatipu.
How deep is Lake Wakatipu?
Its deepest point is right around 380 metres. That’s crazy deep! The average depth of the lake is 230 metres.
How big is Lake Wakatipu?
- At 80 kilometres long, it’s NZ’s longest lake.
- Covering 291 sq. km, it’s NZ’s third largest lake.
Can you swim in Lake Wakatipu?
Yes. But it’s cold all year round with a water temperature in the 11-13 degrees range.
That doesn’t stop lots of people swimming from the various Queenstown beaches and coves around the lake. There’s also a regular lake swimming club that meets most weeks.
Or will you enter the annual Wakatipu Legends swim in March?
What are some activities on Lake Wakatipu I can do?
If swimming isn’t your cup of tea, there are a host of activities on Lake Wakatipu. You could:
- Leap out of Lake Wakatipu in Hydro Attack’s shark
- Take a ride on the famous TSS Earnslaw steamship
- Or ride on the Million Dollar Cruise
- Enjoy a drink at Perky’s, a floating bar
- Have a whirl at parasailing
RELATED POST: AMAZING WALKS IN QUEENSTOWN
2. SUNSHINE BAY TRACK
The best places to park are here and here.
The Sunshine Bay Track, between the Queenstown-Glenorchy Scenic Road and the lake is a great little track that’s around 2km long.
I love running this track as you get some segments of bush and viewpoints like Gilly’s Point.
The track is undulating, and a little rocky at points but nothing overly extenuating. And if you want, you can find the sneaky hidden waterfall.
And at the western end of the track, you’ve got the low-key Sunshine Bay Beach with its little wharf and stretch of stony beach. With minimal people, it’s a nice place to escape the hustle of downtown.
3. QUEENSTOWN LAKEFRONT
The best places to park are here and here.
The walk along the Queenstown Lakefront in my mind is from Queenstown Gardens to the One Mile Car Park. There are three sections to this walk.
The area in front of Queenstown Bay Beach. It’s short but a nice place to have a drink in the evening when it’s allowed which makes it one of the best views in Queenstown for me.
Then you’ll follow the waterfront through town. Good luck trying not to stop anywhere for food and/or drink. Hopefully, you’ll get one of the great buskers to entertain you for a little bit.
If you need a drink I’d suggest Atlas, one of the best places to drink craft beer.
And then from Atlas, you enter Saint Omer Park alongside Lake Esplanade. There’s a pavement that goes through to One Mile Carpark with well-maintained grass and beautiful trees lining them. And it’s metres from the lake where you can pop down to get some great photos with the Remarkables in the background.
4. QUEENSTOWN GARDENS
The best place to park is here. Though it’s central to town so you can walk if you’re staying here.
The Queenstown Gardens are one of the must visit places in Queenstown.
You can walk around the perimeter of the gardens following the waterfront which gives you views of The Remarkables, Ben Lomond, the waterfront, Cecil, and Walter Peak. It’s a beautiful flat walk with a wide path.
There’s also a path in the middle of the gardens.
If you enjoy running, the Queenstown Park Run is hosted in the gardens every Saturday.
5. FRANKTON TRACK
The best places to park are here and here.
I’ve completed the Frankton Track, sometimes known as the Frankton Arm Walkway, dozens of times.
It’s a trail that I probably don’t appreciate enough given I’ve done it so many times. But friends are always commenting on how beautiful it is, and I can agree.
It’s a nice wide trail starting next to the Queenstown Gardens and finishing at Frankton Beach (more or less).
The well-maintained trail is popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists with only the smallest of undulations.
What I’ve enjoyed a couple of times is catching the bus from Queenstown to this stop and getting a tea/coffee from The Boatshed then walking back to a town.
The Frankton Marina is beautiful and a good spot to catch some afternoon sun before heading to Altitude Brewing for a pint with epic views of the Remarkables.
If you’d like to grab a nice lunch or dinner, you might want to check out The Sherwood which is about halfway along the track.
RELATED POST: WHAT TO DO IN FRANKTON
6. FRANKTON TO KELVIN HEIGHTS
The best places to park are here and here.
This walk is on the other side of Frankton Arm as walk the Frankton Track. If you’re in Queenstown, it’s not so convenient to reach compared to the Frankton Track, but it gets a lot more sunshine even in the middle of the Queenstown winter which is amazing.
The track is very similar in other ways to the Frankton Track, with just a few spots where the trail gets more narrow.
7. KELVIN PENINSULA TRACK
The best place to park is here.
Note: this trail is also known as the Sculpture Trail.
What a beautiful little track this is. Circumnavigating the Queenstown Golf Course you get to see the beautiful 5th hole along the coast as well…watch out for stray shots!
It’s about a 3km loop around the course and has a variety of views. The terrain is pretty flat, but there is a few small undulations and sections of singletrack.
You get to see the Remarkables, the Queenstown Gardens, weave through some bush and if you pop out onto John Wilson Cove you can see Walter & Cecil Peak.
You can also pop into the golf club bar and cafe while you’re out that way.
8. JACK’S POINT TRAIL
The best places to park are here and here.
Given the distance from Queenstown, the Jack’s Point Trail is more of a trail you’ll see locals on. But it’s an amazing trail they’ve got in their backyard.
From end to end it’s about 7km between Jack’s Point Golf Club and Queenstown Golf Club. The majority of this is following the lake with no trees blocking the view most of the way.
This is the most undulating of the Lake Wakatipu walks, but quite possibly the most spectuacular>
9. THE SEVEN MILE POINT TRACK
The best places to park are here and here.
If you’ve got a passionate mountain bike rider with your crew, take them to Wilson Bay so you can walk along the Seven Mile Point Track, a 3km walk each way.
This walk isn’t the most amazing of walks for mine, but the views at both ends of the track are stellar.
Along the way you’ve got a couple of hidden spots to relax on the beach (one with a jetty), and a section of forest to walk along.
The more I type about this right now, the more I think it’s actually a better walk than I give it credit for.
This is going to be one of the least popular Lake Wakatipu walks, purely because of its location.
10. BOB’S COVE TRACK
This is one of the walks along Lake Wakatipu that you’ll never hear bad things said about it, even though people give it some high expectations. The walk itself is relatively short, with less than 4km return. But the walk is packed full of value.
There’s the beach, historic kiln, tree canopy, jetty, and of course the top viewpoint.
That is what makes the Bob’s Cove Track such a high-value walk, and you’ll get to see some of the best bluewater on a sunny day. The colours almost dance, they’re genuinely awesome.
And there you go, there are some great Lake Wakatipu walks available for everyone.
If you have any questions about Lake Wakatipu walking tracks, leave a comment below or email jub@churnewzealand.com .
WHAT TO READ NEXT: 7 AMAZING LAKES NEAR QUEENSTOWN
Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.