Hike the Benmore Peninsula Track

The Benmore Peninsula track is approximately a 4km loop circuit and takes around 1.5 hours to complete. It is not a particularly physically demanding hike, but beautiful nonetheless. On a good weather day, the water on Lake Benmore will appear to be bright turquoise and you will be able to see Mount Cook in the distance. This track gives off a very PNW (Pacific NorthWest) vibe with its wooded pine forests and lookouts.

The track starts out level for a while until you reach a junction for the circuit; you may go uphill to the right or go to the left, which stays level for a little while before it begins to climb. Since it is a loop, you may go either way, but I suggest taking the left path and walking the loop clockwise. Taking the loop clockwise is less physically intensive (as the last few stretches of the track are loose gravel at a steep incline, and no one likes to go uphill on that type of track) and you are rewarded with views sooner rather than later.

Getting there: From Otematata, you will see a sign off of SH83 for the Benmore Dam. Take this road to the dam and drive past it. you will reach the top and end of the road, where the DOC Benmore Peninsula hike will be signposted at the gates.