Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown NZ

The Sawpit Gully Circuit is a pleasant enough walk in the hills behind Arrowtown, which is itself a very pleasant historic town.

Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown

The Sawpit Gully Circuit starts in Arrowtown’s historic Chinese gold mining settlement next to the Arrow River. If you walk it clockwise the track climbs into the surrounding hills and returns through the Sawpit Gully and Arrow River Gorge. It’s a nice enough walk, but with some really spectacular walks in the area it has some steep competition. We’ve done it three times so far and it’s been a good choice for a not too strenuous walk close to Queenstown, and you can hang out in the picturesque village of Arrowtown afterwards. Probably shouldn’t be first on your list if you are new to the area.

Track Notes

Track notes are available on the DOC Wakatipu Walks brochure, number 28.

Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
An obvious track the whole way.

Sawpit Gully Circuit: The Scenery

Pictures here from two different occasions…

Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
The Wakatipu Basin, with distant high peaks such as the Remarkables and Cecil Peak visible. Bush Creek runs off picture centre right.
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
At the top of the gully.
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
The walk along the Sawpit Gully Track is quite lush, and more attractive than I remembered.
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
Bushy down in Sawpit Gully.
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
Lots of wildflowers out.
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
Looking up the Arrow River Valley
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
The Arrow River Valley
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
A waterfall on the Arrow River Track.
Sawpit Gully Circuit, Arrowtown
It was a beach-like atmosphere down by the Arrow River.

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *