As the name suggests, Queenstown Hill is on the very edge of the town itself. For just moderate effort you can climb 500m on a well formed track to 907m of elevation and grandstand views of Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables, Cecil Peak and Ben Lomond.
The Queenstown Hill Walk provides excellent views for moderate effort, and it’s highly convenient, starting just on the edge of town. From the small car park you ascend steadily through a forest of wilding pines, some of them humongous, then after emerging above the tree line it’s a short but steep ascent to a minor peak at 841m. The 360 degree views include the Remarkables, Lake Wakatipu, Cecil and Walter Peaks, and Ben Lomond. The pictures below were taken after snow. I’ve also included a couple of shots from the airport as we flew out later than day. (I’ve now also added a few shots from the summer of 2015/16).
Info on this straightforward walk can be found on the a DOC pdf of walks in the Wakatipu area: see walk 15. It starts on Belfast Terrace. You can walk an extra 100 vertical metres from in town to the start of the walk, or there’s a small car park and street parking available. The track through the pine forest can be done as a partial circuit.
An obvious track the whole way. I don’t think the public are allowed to walk on to the summit, but the views are seen from point 841m.
Queenstown Hill Walk: The Scenery
Sophia with Ben Lomond in the background. Ice is a novelty for us.
Ben Lomond on the left, and Bowen Peak to the right. Lake Wakatipu, Cecil Peak and Walter Peak. Cecil Peak and Walter peak. Looking towards Peninsula Hill and the Remarkables in the distance. Double Cone (2319m) on the Remarkables poking out of low lying clouds, and Peninsula Hill (834m) in the foreground. (This shot needed a digital zoom so it may not be so clear when viewed on a large screen.) Me and Sophia. Sophia’s snowman standing guard.
A couple of shots from later in the day at the airport…
The views in Queenstown start as soon as you hit the tarmac. This was the only moment during the day when I could get a clear shot of the Remarkables, taken just as we we were entering the airport ready to fly out. 2319m of elevation, and about 2000m of prominence.
December 30th 2015
A few shots from an earlier summer…
Lots of small stone ‘pagoda’ cairns in the pine forest. Lots of small stone ‘pagoda’ cairns in the pine forest. Seasons greetings encountered on December 30th 2015. A panorama of the area with low lying cloud ‘decapitating’ some of the taller peaks.
