Located in Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve in the West Coast region
8.4 km one way
The Sluice Box is 5 mins into Lake Daniell Track Image: Gordon Roberts ©
Jetty at Lake Daniell Image: Gordon Roberts ©
New Zealand robin/toutouwai on the Lake Daniell Track Image: Baptiste Maryns ©
A place to picnic Image: Baptiste Maryns ©
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 (SH 7). Turn off the highway onto a gravel road and drive several hundred metres till you come to a shelter on the left hand side.
Wasps can be common from 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 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, tui, fernbird, silvereye, grey warbler, bellbird, and even kaka or kakariki.
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.
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 |