Mount Shrimpton Track
Alerts
Check the DOC website for current alerts and conditions before you go. This site gets current alert info from DOC, but is not an official source of information.
A good, steep bush walk to the uplands of the McKerrow Range. Great views of the Makarora Valley below and the alps beyond.
Elevation
Cover mapped summer 2023/24.
Sampled from the national 8m elevation model. No LiDAR survey covers this route yet.
Description
From the carpark follow the nature walk through the forest of silver beech and podocarp species: matai, miro, kahikatea and rimu. Keep an eye out for the birdlife too, including kārearea/New Zealand falcon, kererū/wood pigeon and kea.
A sign indicates where the Mount Shrimpton Track branches off. From here on the track climbs steeply to the bush line. Beyond the bush line, it is possible to follow the ridgeline and ramble around this special upland environment for great views of the Makarora Valley and the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.
Getting there
The carpark for this track and the Makarora Nature Walk is just north of Wonderland Lodge on SH6, Makarora.
Know before you go
Bad weather
The weather can change rapidly in New Zealand. Hypothermia is a real risk even in summer. Be prepared by having warm, waterproof, windproof clothing and the appropriate footwear. Whiteout conditions caused by snow or low cloud may be present. Check the Mount Aspiring National Park weather forecast – NIWA website.
Avalanche risk
This area has terrain that can produce avalanches that cross the track, usually from May into November. View avalanche information.
No visitor centre in Makarora
Contact the Awarua/Haast or Tititea/Mount Aspiring National Park visitor centres instead.
Weather
Forecast at the start of the track