HIKING THE GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT

The Gillespie Pass Circuit Track is an amazing hike/tramp, that’s usually completed over 4 days. It’s a hike that’s not always doable for various reasons, but if you get a chance, give this hike a go. It’s amazing! This post will help you plan your Gillespie Pass adventure.

The Gillespie Pass Circuit is usually completed as a 58km loop (plus the 14km return trip to Lake Crucible) over 4 days and 3 nights. This distance can vary depending on where you start etc.

Usually is the keyword here, as there are lots of ways to do the Gillespie Pass Circuit (see the transport section).

So yea, it’s an amazing hike and this post will give you all the information you need to plan our adventure.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Essential Gillespie Pass Circuit Track Info
2. Planning Your Gillespie Pass Circuit Track Trip
3. Gillespie Circuit Pass Track Hiking Itineraries
4. Is There A Good Day Hike On The Gillespie Track?
5. Huts vs. Campsites On The Gillespie Circuit
6. Where To Stay On The Gillespie Pass Circuit Track
7. When To Hike The Gillespie Circuit Pass Track
8. How To Book The Gillespie Track
9. What To Pack For The Gillespie Circuit Pass Track
10. Notes From The Gillespie Circuit Pass Track

1. ESSENTIAL GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT INFO

Trail Length: ~58km (plus the 7km return trip to Lake Crucible).
Elevation Gain: ~2900 metres (including Lake Crucible).

The elevation profile is in the 2 screenshots below, taken from my Strava data.

1: Blue Pools to Siberia Hut via Crucible Lake:

2. Siberia Hut to Makarora:

Time: 4 days and 3 nights for the majority of people.
Type of Trail: Circuit. There’s a section of road that most people won’t hike so it’s not a complete loop.
Trailhead: You can start from three different points:

• The Blue Pools Car Park
• Northern River Crossing
• Southern River Crossing

Most people start tramping from the Blue Pools/Northern River Crossing end.

Back to the top

2. PLANNING YOUR GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT TRACK TRIP

STEP #1: CHOOSE YOUR TRAILHEAD

• Starting from the Blue Pools car park: Starting from here adds a few extra kilometres to the hike but does mean you avoid a river crossing right away, and if you haven’t seen the Blue Pools you can see them on the way.
• Starting from the Northern River Crossing end: This is a low-key entry point. There are no big signs, it’s just a little pullover area but there’s a sign and a stile so you’ll know you’re at the right starting point. From here you’ve got a few hundred metres to cover before crossing the Makarora.
• Starting from the Souther River Crossing: You can drive up closer to the river from this end. That makes things easier to get started. Make sure you’re sure of the weather though…if not you might find your car filled with water.

Personally, I liked starting at Blue Pools, the Young River Link Track is a nice flowy trail. And while I don’t think the Blue Pools (above) are all they’re cracked up to be, I was happy to see them.

STEP #2: DECIDE HOW MANY DAYS YOU’LL NEED

The majority of people are going to spend 4 days/3 days on the Gillespie Pass Circuit, two of which will include a good amount of uphill hiking.

But you can make it 3 days if you’re willing to hike one big day and/or decide to skip a section and get into Siberia Hut with a jetboat/fixed-wing plane…but I’ll talk more about that further down the post.

The biggest thing is knowing how you go with steep inclines, as they can be really taxing/exhausting if you’re not used to them.

Back to the top

3. GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT TRACK HIKING ITINERARIES

Hiking the Gillespie Pass Circuit over 4 days – Recommended Itinerary
In an anti-clockwise direction.

• Day One: Blue Pools to Young Hut, ~23 km
• Day Two: Young Hut to Siberia Hut, 12 km
• Day Three: Siberia Hut to Crucible Lake return, 14 km
• Day Four: Siberia Hut to Makarora Country Cafe, 22 km

You can do this itinerary in reverse as well. And if you’d rather not stay in Siberia Hut two nights, you could swap that for Kerin Forks Hut on one night. That would make day 3 about 13km and day 4 about 17km.

Can you do the hike in fewer days?

Yes! The easiest way to do this is to use the jet boats and/or fixed-wing planes that take you to Kerin Forks and Siberia Hut respectively. The boat cuts off a good chunk of the circuit and if you’re.

But if you’re hiking from the Blue Pools’ direction, your best bet would be to start super early when leaving Young Hut and going up over the pass and Crucible Lake in one day. The journey would be less than 27km overall, but it’s a big day with two steep inclines.

I completed the Gillespie Circuit Pass in two days, fast packing. Day one is a wicked day provided you start early and can fully relax:

• Day One: Blue Pools to Siberia Hut, via Crucible Lake.
• Day Two: Siberia Hut to Makarora

You can complete the route in a day if you really wanted, but that’s going to be a long day and you’ll need to be a super fit trail runner who doesn’t want to really take in the views along the way.

Back to the top

4. IS THERE A GOOD DAY HIKE ON THE GILLESPIE TRACK?

If you’re feeling fancy, you could book a flight in and out of Siberia Hut and walk up to Crucible Lake for the day. This would be amazing! You could even do it with the jet boat if you’ve got a big enough group and don’t mind a long day of walking.

In terms of a day walk from the trailheads, there’s no marquee day walk. Thought you could give the Young River Link Track a go which includes the Blue Pools.

Back to the top

5. HUTS VS. CAMPSITES ON THE GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT

The majority of people hiking the Gillespie Circuit stay in huts, but there are some who will take a tent and spend nights under the stars.

HUTS ON THE GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT TRACK

Pros

• A good shelter overhead
• You can share stories with others easily
• You don’t need to think about camping sites/weather
• A fireplace to keep warm

Cons

• You need to book Siberia Hut in advance, so less flexibility
• People can be horrendous at following good hut etiquette

CAMPING ON THE GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT TRACK

Pros

• There’s plenty of places you can camp on the circuit
• You can be flexible with how far you hike each day

Cons

• If it rains in this region, you’re probably going to get wet wet.
• Carrying extra weight (tent and mats) is never fun
• You might feel isolated from everyone

I’m sure there are more you can think of, but that’s all I’ve got.

Back to the top

6. WHERE TO STAY ON THE GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT TRACK

Young Hut (20 bunks): This hut is raised up off the ground, I’m guessing as it’s built close to the Young River.

Adult: $15/night
Youth: $7.50/night
Child/Infant: free

Siberia Hut (20 bunks): The marque hut on the Gillespie Pass Circuit. If you’re planning to do Crucible Lake as a day hike, you’ll spend two nights here.

Between December 1st and April 30th you need to book Siberia Hut in advance.

Fees
Adult: $20/night
Youth: $10/night
Child/Infant: free

Kerin Forks Hut (10 bunks): Located a little over 6km away from Siberia Hut, this is a smaller hut and doesn’t get as many visitors due to people flying and jet boating to Siberia Hut. If you’re planning to go over Rabbit Pass you may stay here though.

Fees:
Adult: $15/night
Youth: $7.50/night
Child/Infant: free

Camping

To Camp at Siberia Hut, the fees are:
Adult: $10/night
Youth: $5 /night
Child/Infant: free

Note, you cannot camp at:

• Young Hut as the area needs to remain cleared for the Heli-pad, head to Young Forks Campsite instead.
• Crucible Basin as that’s fragile alpine terrain.

In other spots, you’re allowed to camp (for free). But be practical with your camping spots.

Back to the top

7. WHEN TO HIKE THE GILLESPIE CIRCUIT PASS TRACK

This is super important to note. In the winter and spring, the Gillespie Pass Circuit is not suitable for pretty much everyone due to snow, ice, and avalanches. And awny time there has been heavy rain, the rivers can be way too tough to challenge (people have died).

So stick to hiking the Gillespie Pass Circuit in summer. Even in early December the rivers can be high from the snowmelt, but you should be fine. So let’s say September 1st to April 30th, that’s a good time to do this hike…essentially when you need to book the Siberia Hut online.

Back to the top

8. HOW TO BOOK THE GILLESPIE TRACK

Accommodation: You will need to book Siberia Hut in advance which you can do online (from Dec 1st – April 30th). If you’re planning to stay two nights, make sure you book the right dates.

Transport: I’ve written a full post on Gillespie Circuit Track Transport as it turns out you’ve got lots more options than I realised! They do give you lots of flexibility in how to do the hike however.

Back to the top

9. WHAT TO PACK FOR THE GILLESPIE CIRCUIT PASS TRACK

As with any multi-day hike in the South Island, getting your packing right can make your tramping experience way better. On the Gillespie Track, consider the following:

Food: There’s no food to buy on the track. Ideally you’ll buy from the supermarkets in Wanaka (or a bigger town to the north) as Makarora hasn’t got any options really.

Cooking things: Will you need a stove and gas or will you survive on food you don’t need to cook (that’s me)?

Sleeping bag: Camping or staying in huts, it doesn’t matter which, you’ll need a sleeping bag. In a perfect world you’ll have a small and warm sleeping bag…remember you’ll be carrying it for up to four days.

Reusable water bottle: I’d recommend bringing about 1L of water capacity. There are plenty of streams along the way, but you’ll be walking near cattle at points so don’t go drinking from all the streams without a care.

Hut Tickets: Don’t forget to pack your Backcountry Hut Pass or pre-purchase hut tickets.

Power Bank: There’s no reception on the track, but even then I find my phone’s battery will drain if I take too many photos 🙂

Insect Repellent: Yeap, there was plenty of pesky sandflies around Siberia Hut. Buying a good quality of repellent can make life much more pleasant.

Sunscreen, Sunglasses and a Hat: While there are lots of sections of bush on this track, you can get stuck in the open valleys for a while (and on the pass).

Hiking Poles: These might be a godsend for you over Gillespie Pass and to/from Lake Crucible in particular.

Waterproof layer and bag protection: Make sure you bring a good rain jacket like the Macpac Tempo that’s actually waterproof…not just showerproof. And dry bags are useful for all sorts of things, not just keeping your stuff dry. Pack a few different sizes.

Good hiking clothes: Be practical. Get proper clothing, leave the jeans and suit jacket at home 🙂

Back to the top

10. NOTES FROM THE GILLESPIE PASS CIRCUIT TRACK

• You can take a dip in the waterfall next to Siberia Hut (above). Works a treat on a hot day!
• Hitchhiking between the two trailheads can be done, but the traffic moves pretty quick past there. Just an FYI, stay safe etc.
• Don’t let the easy section leaving Siberia Hut to Kerin Forks lead you astray. You’ll be back on technical tracks most of the way through to Makarora.
• There’s not much cell phone reception if any between the trailheads.
• Brave the cold and you should 100% take a swim in Lake Crucible.



• If you’re doing Crucible Lake as a day trip, try and leave mid-morning at the latest. Bring enough bits and pieces to keep you entertained for a few hours…it’s truly stunning.
• If you want to make this a longer hike (and a few more days), you can head up to Top Forks Hut and check a few alpine lakes before heading over Rabbit Pass.
• It doesn’t matter which NZ simcard you have, there’s no reception on the track at all.
• No unauthorised drones are allowed on the track, or anywhere in Mount Aspiring National Park.

Back to the top

---

I loved the Gillespie Pass Circuit, and some of my friends have mentioned it as being one of their favourite multi-day hikes in New Zealand. How good!

If you have any questions about hiking Gillespie Pass, drop a comment below or email jub@churnewzealand.com.

AND A FEW MORE PHOTOS TO FINISH