Haast Pass

July 9, 2017 tarannosaurus

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → West Coast → Haast Pass

Location: West Coast, north of Queenstown, New Zealand

Time Required: 4 – 10 hours (depending on the distance traveled and number of stops)

Red Tape/Notes: Haast Pass is the lowest and rainiest of the three passes, so you may not have sunshine. If it’s raining, no big deal because this is more of a scenic route with stops as opposed to a destination in itself. You’ll just get where you’re going a bit faster.

What’s Nearby?: Fox Glacier, Jackson Bay, Queenstown, Queenstown to Milford Helicopter Tour, Lake Alta and the Remarkables, Robinson Creek Canyon, Wilson Creek Canyon, Cross Creek Canyon

The Haast Pass drive is absolutely stunning. We did the 6 hour drive from Manapouri up to Fox Glacier in a day, and still managed 6 (short) planned stops and the occasional frantic “this is too beautiful of a view not to stop and take a picture” moments. Worthwhile stops (from South to North) include:

The Blue Pools
– a short walk with stunning crystal clear blue water and a bonus fun swing bridge

Fantail Falls
– it may take one minute to walk to the falls…there’s almost no way you don’t have time

Thunder Creek Falls
– right by the road (tour bus warning on this one – get in and get out before the hoards descend!)

Roaring Billy Falls
– a 5 minute walk through some lovely forest, but the falls are just okay, especially compared to the others in the area.
The hike is probably better than the falls.

Depot Creek Falls
– this one is a bit of a secret – it’s 5km past Roaring Billy Falls to a gravel carpark just beyond the Depot Creek Bridge;
park and hike the 1 minute path through the forest to the falls. Pictures of the trail included here for comparison purposes with the trail to Roaring Billy Falls. If you have time and are so inclined, you could definitely climb up to the small pool at the base of the falls and take a dip.