Rockburn
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 8.82 mi
- Elevation gain
- 3,412 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 3,622 ft
- Max elevation
- 3,780 ft
- TrailRank
- 39
- Min elevation
- 1,299 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 22 hours 39 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1326
- Uploaded
- November 27, 2017
- Recorded
- November 2017
near Arcadia, Otago (New Zealand)
Viewed 417 times, downloaded 6 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Key sections of the Routeburn Track were closed (avalanche risk) so we followed a much less traveled route that shares the same start point and has the same great views with a lot fewer people (crossed paths with one other hiker in two days). The hike is a loop trail with the start and finish at the Routeburn car park (see link below for the finishing day of the hike) and takes about 8-10 hours to complete. We hiked for about 6 or 7 hours the first day and saved the easy day for the return to the car.
The first day has hard and included a tough climb but the trail is well marked and easy to follow. The starting point is the same as for the Routeburn Track but branches off to the right/north about 15 minutes in.
We camped overnight at the mouth of the Rockburn River where it meets the Dart River. There is a sponsored free shelter there (roof with one wall and a rocky floor) a few picnic tables and several good places to pitch a tent.
This trail also includes the start of our second day (the first hour or so) but we had trouble with electronics/battery life so the finish of the hike is listed separately as Rockburn day 2 .
Total distance for both hikes is just under 22 kilometers, should take around 8-10 hours with the first day much more difficult than the second. This is a great option if the Routeburn is too crowded or has major sections closed.
The first day has hard and included a tough climb but the trail is well marked and easy to follow. The starting point is the same as for the Routeburn Track but branches off to the right/north about 15 minutes in.
We camped overnight at the mouth of the Rockburn River where it meets the Dart River. There is a sponsored free shelter there (roof with one wall and a rocky floor) a few picnic tables and several good places to pitch a tent.
This trail also includes the start of our second day (the first hour or so) but we had trouble with electronics/battery life so the finish of the hike is listed separately as Rockburn day 2 .
Total distance for both hikes is just under 22 kilometers, should take around 8-10 hours with the first day much more difficult than the second. This is a great option if the Routeburn is too crowded or has major sections closed.
Waypoints
Bridge
Intersection
1,619 ft
Sugarloaf track
Turn right off the main Routeburn track onto the Sugarloaf track. Signage is in place.
River
Panorama
Campsite
Lake
1,366 ft
Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake
Comments (1)
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A little more rugged than the main path but I really liked this one. Make sure to visit the Rockburn chasm it is really cool and is only a few minutes from the "corner" or "Rockburn" waypoints (signage is there to indicate the way, it is not part of this recorded trail).