The Greenstone Caples Track is an awesome 3-4 day hike, covering 61km, that’s a popular alternative to the Routeburn Track.

This article will help you plan everything you need to consider before hiking the Greenstone Caples Track from packing, transport, accommodation, and more. And there are lots of photos.

The Greenstone Caples Track is usually completed as a 61km loop track over 4 days and 3 nights.

I state usually, as the Greenstone Track and Caples Track are individual tracks, but most people combine them to form a multi-day loop hike rather than a point-to-point hike.

This is one of the many reasons this is considered a good alternative to the Routeburn Track.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

1. ESSENTIAL GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK INFO

Trail Length: ~61km (from the Greenstone Carpark).
Elevation Gain: ~1500 metres.

This elevation profile is starting on the Caples Track and returning via the Greenstone Track:

Time: 4 days and 3 nights for the majority of people.
Type of Trail: Loop Track.
Trailhead: You can start at Greenstone car park, which most people do. Or you can start at The Divide Shelter which means you’ll walk a part of the Routeburn Track to Lake Howden before turning off to join the Greenstone Caples Track.

The former is the most popular, and logical option.

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2. PLANNING YOUR GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK TRIP

While most people will start the trail at Greenstone Car Park, from what I can tell, there’s no direction for the loop that’s way more popular than the other.

If anything, people will do the Greenstone Track first as it’s usually known as the Greenstone Caples Track, not the Caples Greenstone Track. If you despise steep downhills, go with the Greenstone Caples direction as that means you’ll walk up the steepest section of the track (see the elevation profile above).

STEP #1: CHOOSE YOUR TRAILHEAD

• Starting from Greenstone Car Park: This is where most people will start this hike from. You can sort of tell why based on the name.
• Starting from the Divide: You can also do the Greenstone Caples Track from The Divide, which means you’ll walk 3.2km at the start and the end of the loop to reach the actual Greenstone Caples Route (see here).

I would go with starting where most do, at the Greenstone Car Park.

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

There are 3 DOC huts on the Greenstone Caples Track which means most people will finish the track in 4 days and 3 nights.

But it’s possible to skip a DOC Hut and/or stay in a non-DOC hut (details below) and cut the time down to 3 days/2 nights. Or you might decide you’d like to do some of the side trips, and make the hike longer.

There are lots of options…remember to consider the elevation and the time getting to/from the trailhead 🙂

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3. GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK HIKING ITINERARIES

Hiking the Greenstone Caples Track over 4 days – Recommended Itinerary
This is going in an anti-clockwise direction, doing the Caples Track first.

• Day One: Greenstone Car Park to Mid Caples Hut, 9 km
• Day Two: Mid Caples Hut to McKellar Hut, 22 km
• Day Three: McKellar Hut to Greenstone Hut, 18 km
• Day Four: Greenstone Hut to Greenstone Car Park, 12 km

If you’d rather do the Greenstone Track first, you simply do this itinerary in reverse 🙂

There’s the option to stay at two other huts along the way too. The NZ Deerstalkers Association manages the Mid Greenstone Hut and Upper Caples Hut which you can look into here.

Can you do the hike in fewer days?

You sure can. The hikes on day one and two are relatively short, so you can skip Mid Caples Hut or Greenstone Hut and head straight to McKeller if you wanted to make it three days.

For two days on the Greenstone Caples Track, that’d involve two big days of hiking while staying at McKellar Hut.

And yes, trail runners can complete the track in one day. I’ve also heard through the grapevine two people hiked the entire track in 14 hours…which is a solid speed! They wouldn’t have had time to chill though 😉

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

There is! It only involves part of the Greenstone Caples Track but has the same trailhead. It’s the Lake Rere Loop which you can read about here.

If you’re staying in Kinloch you could do a day walk to Mid Caples Hut and back, but there are much better day hikes in Glenorchy you can do.

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5. HUTS VS. CAMPSITES ON THE GREENSTONE CAPLES

The hut life is something everyone should experience, it’s a way of hiking you don’t get to experience in many places around the world. But if you like tent life, that’s possible on the Greenstone Caples Track. And there are pros and cons to each as you’d expect.

HUTS ON THE GREENSTONE-CAPLES TRACK

Pros

• Sturdy roof over your head
• Easy to meet others
• You don’t need to carry a tent/sleeping mat
• Great hut wardens who are happy to help

Cons

• You might end up with people snoring
• You can’t be spontaneous about where you’ll sleep

CAMPING ON THE GREENSTONE-CAPLES TRACK

Note: You can camp along the edge of the bush, provided you’re at least 50 metres from the track. You cannot camp on the McKellar Saddle due to the delicate terrain, and the open valley floors on both tracks are private land so you cannot camp there either.

Pros

• There’s lots of places you can camp on the route
• It’s cheaper than the huts
• You can camp close to others, or find your own hideaway spot

Cons

• If it rains, camping isn’t exactly fun
• You have to carry your tent…ugh, weight
• Keeping clothing dry is tougher

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6. WHERE TO STAY ON THE GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK

I’m going to stick to mentioning the DOC Huts in this post.

Greenstone Hut (20 bunks): This is a slight detour (10 minutes) from the Greenstone and Caples Track), but is in a great spot with a nice large balcony.

McKellar Hut (24 bunks): I feel like this is the marque hut of the track for some reason, perhaps because it’s right around halfway through the track if you start at the Greenstone Car Park.

Mid Caples Hut (24 bunks): This hut has the best views, and a couple of sweet swimming holes nearby. Not the worst place to spend a night eh.

Hut Fees

Note: You can stay at the 3 DOC Huts using your Backcountry Hut Pass from May 1st to September 30th. From October 1st to April 30th, you need to pay for the huts.

Year Round
Adults: $25/night
Youth: $12.5/night
Children: Free

Camping Fees if you camp by a DOC Hut(also using hut tickets)
Adults: $5/night
Youth: $2.50/night
Children: Free

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7. WHEN TO HIKE THE GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK

The Greenstone Caples Track doesn’t go over 1000 metres of elevation, meaning you can hike this track year-round.

There can be avalanche danger around Slip Flat, so if you’re hiking in winter/spring check with the Queenstown DOC about the current avalanche risk. When there’s snow on the ground, you’ll usually be able to manage the hike okay.

The Greenstone Caples Track is a great alternative to the Routeburn in spring when the avalanche risk on the Routeburn can be high, and sometimes the Routeburn will be closed but the Greenstone Caples is still safe to hike.

But this is also a great hike in the summer if you’re looking for a multiday hike in the area that isn’t as popular as the Routeburn…or maybe you missed out on booking a space in the huts. And it’s not in the sun all the time which is a bonus.

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8. HOW TO BOOK THE GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK

Accommodation: The huts on the Greenstone Caples Track cannot be booked in advance. They’re all a relatively decent size, so there won’t be too many occasions where you don’t get a bunk.

That said, if you aren’t fussed between camping and the hut life, bringing a tent just in case during busy periods is be a good idea.

Transport: There are a few ways you can get to/from the Greenstone Car Park:

• Shuttle/bus
• Car
• Hitchhiking

I’ve written a full post on your Greenstone Caples Track transport options which you can refer to.

Unlike the Rees-Dart Track, organising your transport at the last minute isn’t a massive deal for this track.

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9. WHAT TO PACK FOR THE GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK

As with any multi-day hike, getting your packing right can make your tramping experience way better. On the Greenstone Caples, consider the following:

Food: There’s no food on the track you can buy. You’ll want to buy all your hiking snacks and food from the supermarkets in Queenstown as there are minimal options in Kinloch and Glenorchy.

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 taking 1L of water capacity at least. There are plenty of streams along the way, but you’ll be walking near cattle on stations 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, I’ve heard that you can end up with a lot of sandfly bites on this track (not in my experience though). 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 in the summer, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat are a godsend.

Waterproof layer and bag protection: Make sure you bring a good rain jacket 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 :

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10. NOTES FROM THE GREENSTONE CAPLES TRACK

• There are some awesome swimming holes near Greenstone and Caples Hut. Check the intentions books to see drawings for where they are (or ask DOC rangers)…but always practice safe river swimming practives.
• If you’re looking for affordable accommodation close to the trailhead, there’s a couple of good options in Kinloch.
• There’s a few side trips you can do along the loop. Check out a topomap to get some ideas.
• Most simcards in NZ can get reception in Kinloch, but you’ll lose it a few km before the car park and get none on the loop at all.



• You may be walking close to cows at points, don’t take them lightly 🙂
• There are some sections of bog on the loop, even in the middle of summer. Note: I have since heard there are some good boardwalks that take you through these sections.
• While it’s early days, there have been Takahe released into the Greenstone Valley. You might get lucky and see them.

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11. GREENSTONE CAPLES FAQ’S

Do I need a PLB?

In short, no. But it’s never a bad idea to take a PLB with you. Many people will hire one from Macpac for their Greenstone Caples adventure.

Am I allowed to camp on the Greenstone Saddle?

Yes, you can if you’re at least 50 metres away from the track. But remember, you cannot camp on McKellar Saddle.

What’s the best way to check the weather forecast for the Greenstone and Caples Tracks?

The weather website I like using is Yr.no. Other friends prefer windy.com and MetService. It’s a very personal thing, weather apps.

Is the Routeburn Greenstone loop good?

It’s certainly not bad, and is a solid option There’s just a little bit more admin involved with transport between the trailheads. Ultimate Hikes also have guided walks of this adventure, known the the Grand traverse.

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The Greenstone Caples Track is a track that’s going to get more popular in the future.

It’s not a wow wow wow hike, but as a multiday hike with varying terrain and somewhat off the beaten path, it’s amazing!

If you have any questions about hiking the Greenstone Caples Track, drop a comment below or email jub@churnewzealand.com.

AND A FEW MORE PHOTOS TO FINISH