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View of the Waiau River – View of Balloon Loop loop from Conservation Area - Waiau River Control Gates

Hiking trails & Routes

View of the Waiau River – View of Balloon Loop loop from Conservation Area - Waiau River Control Gates

Hard

4.2

(17)

266

hikers

View of the Waiau River – View of Balloon Loop loop from Conservation Area - Waiau River Control Gates

06:08

23.2km

210m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 7, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Fiordland National Park

Conservation Area - Waiau River Control Gates

Waypoints

A

Start point

Parking

1

535 m

Lake Te Anau Dam and Lakeside Walk

Highlight • Lake

Easy to walk path along the lake

Translated by Google •

Tip by

2

9.31 km

Waiau River

Highlight • River

Waiau River rises at Te Anau Lake, then flows 10 kilometers to Manapouri Lake. After that, the river descends another 70 kilometers, to Foveaux Strait.

For the record, this river …

Translated by Google •

Tip by

3

9.61 km

Kepler Track Suspension Bridge over Waiau River

Highlight • Bridge

This suspension bridge is the second official entry on Kepler Track (with that of Te Anau Lake).

This entrance is however more isolated since it is quite far from Te …

Translated by Google •

Tip by

4

10.3 km

View of the Waiau River

Highlight • Viewpoint

Beautiful view of the Waiau River

Translated by Google •

Tip by

5

10.8 km

View of Balloon Loop

Highlight • Viewpoint

Balloon Loop is a Waiau River turnoff that literally takes the shape of a balloon. By this detour Waiau River comes to recover the waters of Forest Burn River which come from a multitude of streams of the Luxmore mountains.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

6

11.7 km

Suspension Bridge in Fiordland National Park

Highlight • Bridge

Pretty shaky business

Translated by Google •

Tip by

7

12.1 km

View of the River in Fiordland National Park

Highlight • River

You can see the river a little

Translated by Google •

Tip by

8

22.8 km

View of Lake Te Anau at the Fiordland National Park entrance

Highlight • Viewpoint

Fiordland National Park has two entrances, from Te Anau. This bridge is one of them.
Be careful, once you have passed it, it is absolutely necessary that you have your …

Translated by Google •

Tip by

B

23.2 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

22.5 km

355 m

351 m

Surfaces

18.0 km

3.93 km

917 m

325 m

< 100 m

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Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

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Weather

Powered by Foreca

Thursday 8 October

22°C

10°C

24 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 9.0 km/h

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