Three Mile Stream Circuit
Lake Sumner Conservation Park
- 2 – 4 days loop track
- Medium
- Lake Taylor to Loch Katrine: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Loch Katrine to Hurunui Swingbridge: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Hurunui Swingbridge to Three Mile Hut via McMillan Stream: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Three Mile Hut to Hope Kiwi Track via Three Mile Stream Route: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Three Mile Stream to Hurunui Swingbridge via Hope Kiwi Track: 2 hours
- Hurunui Hut is 20 minutes' walk up the true right bank of the Hurunui River from the swingbridge. Beyond here, the track leads up to the Hurunui Hot Springs and Harper Pass.
- From near Three Mile Stream Hut, a track leads through to Hope Kiwi Lodge. Another track leads from there down to Kiwi Saddle and the Hope Kiwi Track. Add these tracks on for a longer loop.
A loop around Macs Knob next to Lake Sumner. This route makes for a long overnight trip.
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Walking time
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2 – 4 days
19 hr – 20 hr
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Distance
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60.6km |
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Type
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Loop track
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Grade
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Medium
Route is generally well marked but largely unformed. Some river bed travel, numerous river crossings. Grades explained
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Bookings
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No bookings — open access
No — open access
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Starts
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Lake Taylor Campsite, Lake Sumner Road. |
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Maps
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NZTopo50-BU22
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Altitude
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531m
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839m
Altitude change 308m
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This circuit covers a lot of ground, varying from the easy but monotonous travel of the 4WD road into Lake Sumner, to the rough route around the back of Macs Knob. Three Mile Hut is a generously sized hut in an out-of-the-way spot. Its twin is Jollie Brook Hut at the eastern end of Lake Sumner.
Shorten this journey by taking a 4WD vehicle in as far as Loch Katrine, or a mountain bike as far as the Hurunui Swingbridge. A mountain bike will roughly halve the time for this section. Alternately, take it easy and stay at Hurunui Hut on the way, perhaps taking in the Hurunui Hot Springs as well. Given the long slog in from the road end, it's worth taking some time to explore the other tracks in the area.