Lake Daniell Track
Located in Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve in the West Coast region
Introduction
This is a great walk for families with young children or those people new to tramping. The track is a well formed bench track that can also be completed as a day walk.8.4 km one way
Dog access
Image gallery
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The Sluice Box is 5 mins into Lake Daniell Track Image: Gordon Roberts ©
![Blue waters of the Sluice Box.]( "Blue waters of the Sluice Box.")
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Jetty at Lake Daniell Image: Gordon Roberts ©
![Visitors sitting on the jetty.]( "Visitors sitting on the jetty.")
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New Zealand robin/toutouwai on the Lake Daniell Track Image: Baptiste Maryns ©
![Robin on the Lake Daniell Track.]( "Robin on the Lake Daniell Track.")
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A place to picnic Image: Baptiste Maryns ©
![Picnic table at Lake Daniell.]( "Picnic table at Lake Daniell.")
Video
Lake Daniell Track begins from the shelter at Marble Hill Campsite. From the campsite shelter, the track enters the trees and soon crosses the Maruia River over a deep, narrow gorge called the Sluice Box. From the Sluice Box the track continues up the Alfred River. The track passes through spendid red beech forest until it reaches the lake edge and the Kōhanga Atawhai – Manson Nicholls Hut.
The track starts at Marble Hill Campsite, 5 km east of Springs Junction on the Lewis Pass Highway (SH7). Turn off the highway onto a gravel road and drive several hundred metres till you come to a shelter on the left hand side.
Note that the 4WD track and hut on Station Creek/Sherriff River, 1.5 km north of the head of Lake Daniell, are located on private land. Access is only possible via Station Creek with permission from the landowners.
- Mountain biking is not permitted on this track.
- Wasps can be common between December to April. Carry antihistamine if you are allergic to their stings.
Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date and time to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoors Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand's search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details about your trip.
On the track to the lake you may encounter tomtit, rifleman, robin, tūī, fernbird, silvereye, grey warbler, bellbird, and even kākā or kākāriki.
Lake Daniell is within the Maruia Waka Huia special biodiversity area. Keeping the many rare wildlife and plant species of the Maruia area safe from introduced predators requires a massive conservation effort.
You may encounter some of the many predator traps along the way that are part of this effort.
Contacts
| Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre | |
| Phone: | +64 3 731 1895 |
| Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
| Email: | paparoavc@doc.govt.nz |
| Address: |
4294 Coast Road Punakaiki RD 1 Runanga 7873 |
| Postal Address: |
4294 Coast Road Punakaiki RD 1 Runanga 7873 |
| Full office details | |
| Reefton i-SITE Visitor Information Centre | |
| Phone: | +64 3 732 8391 |
| Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
| Email: | rvcinfo@xtra.co.nz |
| Address: |
67–69 Broadway Reefton |
| Postal Address: |
PO Box 100 Reefton 7851 |
| Full office details | |