The Queen Charlotte Track is a long New Zealand walking track between
Queen Charlotte Sound and
Kenepuru Sound
Kenepuru Sound is one of the larger of the Marlborough Sounds in the South Island of New Zealand. The drowned valley is an arm of Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere, it runs for from the northeast to southwest, joining Pelorus Sound a quarter of the way ...
in the
Marlborough Sounds
The Marlborough Sounds are an extensive network of sea-drowned valleys at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand. The Marlborough Sounds were created by a combination of land subsidence and rising sea levels. According to Māori ...
. It extends from
Meretoto / Ship Cove in the north to
Anakiwa in the south. For most parts, the track leads through native bush along the ridgeline of hills between the sounds, offering good views either side.
From early 2013 on, the Queen Charlotte Track also has become one of the
New Zealand Cycle Trail
The New Zealand Cycle Trail project (Māori: ''Nga Haerenga'', "The Journeys") is a New Zealand government initiative, co-funded together with local councils and charitable trusts, which is to build and operate a network of cycle routes throug ...
s, accessible for mountain bike-level riders.
Description
The track is maintained by the
New Zealand Department of Conservation
The Department of Conservation (DOC; Māori: ''Te Papa Atawhai'') is the public service department of New Zealand charged with the conservation of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage.
An advisory body, the New Zealand Conservation Au ...
(DOC) and is well formed and easy to follow. It is one of the most popular
tramping
Tramping may refer to:
Travel
*Hiking
*Trekking
*Tramping in New Zealand, a style of backpacking or hiking
* Czech tramping, a Czech outdoors pastime
Places
* Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380, Saskatchewan, Canada
** Tramping Lake, Sas ...
tracks in New Zealand, and is also open to mountain biking all year round except for the section from
Meretoto / Ship Cove to Kenepuru Saddle, which is closed for mountain biking from December to February.
The walking track leads over mainly clay soil, with bridges over all major streams, and reaches from sea level to 470
m high. It is not a difficult track, however, it is a long track, with the section between Camp Bay and Torea Saddle over 23 km long. The entire one-way trip can be completed in 3–5 days by foot, or 13 hours by bike (typically split over two days). Queen Charlotte Track is also popular for day walks, with road access points at Camp Bay, Torea Saddle, Te Mahia Saddle, and Anakiwa, and boat transfer access at
Meretoto / Ship Cove, Resolution Bay, Panaruawhiti / Endeavour Inlet, Camp Bay, Tōrea Moua / Tōrea Bay, Mistletoe Bay, and
Anakiwa. Boat transport is available from and to
Picton.
Queen Charlotte Track passes several Department of Conservation campsites, as well as private accommodations, as it crosses private land on some sections. Side tracks lead to
Miritū Bay / Bay of Many Coves and
Lochmara Bay. Adults walking or biking the track require a Queen Charlotte Track Land Cooperative (Q.C.T.L.C.) Pass on Q.C.T.L.C. private land between Kenepuru Saddle and just past Mistletoe Bay. The fee contributes to track maintenance, enhancement and access.
Location
See also
*
New Zealand tramping tracks
__NOTOC__
{{main, Tramping in New Zealand
In New Zealand, long distance walking or hiking for at least one overnight stay is known as tramping. There are a number of walkways in New Zealand, however most of these are relatively short and can be ...
References
External links
*
*
{{coord, -41.178, 174.1362, display=title, region:NZ-TAS_dim:10000, name=Queen Charlotte Track - nominal location
Hiking and tramping tracks in New Zealand
Marlborough Region
Marlborough Sounds