These five Lake Hawea hikes are awesome, and they all take you to peaks for maximum views!
There are some lovely Lake Hawea walks which I’ll mention at the end, but this post will focus on hikes. This means they’re going to be steep in sections and have various levels of experience necessary.
But are all possible to do in a day (a few are great overnight missions too).
This post will details peaks around Lake Hawea you can hike. The best part is, most of these are still relatively unknown.
LAKE HAWEA HIKES
1. Corner Peak
2. Grandview Mountain
3. Breast Hill
4. Mount Maude
5. Isthmus Peak
6. Walks Around Lake Hawea
1. CORNER PEAK
- Distance: 16 – 17km
- Elevation Gain: 1700 metres
Corner Peak can be spotted from the town and Lake Hawea beach and looks epic. The hike itself isn’t easy given it’s not a maintained DOC track. If you’ve got the fitness and some good weather though, get out there and attempt this hike.
Most people will say it’s better than the Ben Lomond hike which I think is one of the best day hikes in Queenstown, let alone the South Island.
And I agree with them.
You get awesome views of Lake Hawea and various peaks on the way up, which are a nice reprieve as you’re grinding up the hills. It’s all worth it for the summit views though!
You’ve seen the photos above!
2. GRANDVIEW MOUNTAIN TRACK
- Distance: 18km return
- Elevation Gain: ~1000 metres
The Grandview Mountain Track is a longer hike close to Lake Hawea, and might not get quite the dramatic views on some of the other options. But it’s also not quite so steep as you follow a 4WD track for a chunk of the distance.
At the start of the hike, you’re almost in a valley of sorts. Then the hike opens up and you get the epic views at the top.
You also have the choice of following a track
3. BREAST HILL
- Distance: 8 – 9km
- Elevation Gain: ~1000 metres
The Breast Hill hike is one of my favourite hikes! It’s a steep hike, but you get a variety of views, and I love a ridgeline that has a steep drop off (you don’t have to walk close to the ridgeline).
There’s Pakutuhi Hut, which is a magic hut to stay at, but do note that it’s on the Te Araroa Trail so it can be busy over the summer/autumn months.
Even if you’re just here for a day hike, the hut is a great place to spend a bit of time for a break before you head along the ridge (it’s a short detour). If you’ve got suspect knees, this is definitely a hike where you’ll want hiking poles for the descent.
4. MOUNT MAUDE
- Distance: 8km
- Elevation Gain: 1025 metres
Mount Maude is the least known track on this list, yet so many people are so close to the trailhead but never see it. You should read my post on Mount Maude for the full details on where the trailhead is.
The track has some steep sections, and you’ll find yourself going off route from time to time once you’re above the treeline, but it’s some cool terrain! This is the best spot to get views over Lake Hawea’s little township. It’s crazy to see how much construction is going on there now.
5. ISTHMUS PEAK
- Distance: 15 – 16km
- Elevation Gain: 1300 metres
Often consider the better alternative to Roy’s Peak, the Isthmus Peak Track is a fun hike with just a little bit of technical terrain in between the well groomed sections to keep things interesting.
The great part about this hike is you get views of Lake Hawea on the way up, then once you reach the summit you get awesome views looking over Lake Wanaka. That’s a pretty good incentive to keep hiking!
READ MORE: ROYS PEAK VS ISTHMUS PEAK
6. WALKS AROUND LAKE HAWEA
- Hawea River Track
- Outlet Track
- Gladstone Track
- Lake Hawea Track
Pretty good right? I thought so.
Lake Hawea is stunning, both the lake and the peaks surrounding the lake. A few friends have moved out that way recently and I can see why…and there’s only going to be more and more houses built there in the near future.
I hope this has helped you decide on what Lake Hawea hikes you might want to do. If you’ve got any questions, concerns, or comment leave a message below or email jub@churnewzealand.com.
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.