Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The start of this track is an easy stroll from St Arnaud township. You'll find the trailhead in
the eastern corner of Kerr Bay, on the lake edge near the campsite toilet block.
To begin it follows three short walks through beech forest - Bellbird Walk, Honeydew
Walk and Loop Track - which form part of the 50-sq-km Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project.
Keep an eye and an ear out for nectarivorous tui and korimako (bellbirds), and cute fantails,
robins and tomtits that may flit around your feet as you kick up insects for them to feed on.
Three species of beech mistletoe creep around tree trunks thanks to possum eradication pro-
grams, their yellow and red flowers resplendent in December and January.
Shortly after joining the Loop Track in the clockwise direction, the St Arnaud Range
Track bears left and climbs steadily up and across moraine terraces deposited by glaciers.
Divert your attention from the relentless climb by studying the trees as you ascend, noti-
cing how they have adapted to the changing altitude and environment. At lower elevations
red beech is dominant, while higher up silver beech is more apparent and then mountain
beech after that. Nearing the bushline (1400m) the trees become more and more stunted.
Free of the forest, you can catch your breath on Parachute Rocks , aptly named after the
canopy-shaped scree slopes located to the north, and take in the spectacular views down to
St Arnaud and across Lake Rotoiti to Mt Robert. From here the gradient doesn't let up but
the extra 30 minutes to the ridge through snow tussock and fields of alpine shrubs and herbs
is certainly worth the effort. Late spring and early summer the herbs bloom in gloriously
gold and white blankets across the steep slopes.
Atop the ridge, on a good day you can see for miles: west to Kahurangi National Park and
the Buller Valley, north to Richmond Forest Park, east down the Wairau Valley and south to
the heart of the Nelson Lakes National Park. Those with energy to spare might like to ex-
plore southwest along the craggy ridge or scramble down to the tarn-filled basins on the
eastern side. Return to Kerr Bay via the same route that you came up, pausing often to sa-
vour the views before heading back into the forest.
TOWNS & FACILITIES
TOP OF CHAPTER
Nelson
03 / POP 60,800
 
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