Key Summit hike, in winter.

Distance: 3.4kms one way. 4kms to Marian Lake lookout.
Elevation gain: 423 meters
Key Summit Hike time: 1.5-2 hours up. 3 hours in total.

The hike through the forest was so incredibly beautiful.

Key summit hike was another beautiful hike on the way to Milford Sound that begins at the Divide parking lot. You ascend through stunning mossy green rainforest surrounded by ferns and the sounds of birds the entire way. You also pass by multiple small waterfalls, many of these were frozen for us as you can see from the photo.

Once you eventually pass through the rainforest you arrive into the more alpine terrain, small trees and bushes poked through the snow as we continued to make our way along the track. Once you turn and make you’re way to Key Summit you’re surrounded on all sides by incredible views. To the north, you have the Hollyford Valley you also have Mt Alissa and Mt Darren on either side.

As beautiful as this view was though we continued on to the Lake Marian lookout point to try and get another look at Lake Marian from a different perspective. When we arrived it was pretty cloudy, which is pretty normal in this part of New Zealand so we waited, and waited, and waited. The clouds never really cleared but on the plus side, I had the first real snowball fight I’ve ever had. Its lasted until I got too excited and hit Sara clean in the face with one(unintentionally). It allowed us to pass some time but the clouds still didn’t clear. Even without the perfect views what we could see was still incredibly beautiful.

You’re obviously looking for hikes so check out this list of some of the best hikes in New Zealand.

At no extra cost to you, some of the links in this article are affiliate links and by using them Sara and I receive a small commission. This goes towards helping us continue to explore and write articles like this. 😁

The track was frozen and the trees and plants were coated in a thin ice armor.

The Key Summit Hike.

The Key Summit Hike is a fairly easy hike and considering the views you have, it makes it one of the most accessible and beautiful hikes in New Zealand. The track does starts with an incline though and this continues for quite a while, so it’s not just a simple walk in the park but the track is well defined and easy to follow. After 2.6kms of this, you will need to take a right turn up towards Key Summit, if you miss this you will continue on the Routeburn Trail and that’s considerably longer like 30 or 40kms or so.
The hike up to Key Summit is pretty short from the turn only 830 meters, you pass another beautiful little lake on your way. Once there it’s up to you if you want to continue onto the Lake Marian lookout, if it’s super cloudy and you think there is no chance of it clearing it might be fine to call it a day but if it’s a little bit clear I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to head to this viewpoint. It’s literally only another 560 meters and it’s basically flat the whole way so it’s not really strenuous. You will know what you arrive, there is a small bench seat there and well an incredible view over Lake Marian.

Heading down is easy after this as it’s never really too steep and the path is nice and wide.

Lake Marian Vs Key Summit

So this one is up to you, we did both and you can read about our hike to Lake Marian over here. One thing I will say though is that Key Summit is a far easier hike compared to Lake Marian and if the sky is clear you will have incredible views of not only Lake Marian but other mountains and Fjordland National Park also. If the weather is bad there is a good chance you might not see anything though and If you hike to Lake Marian even in bad weather you will still be able to see the lake. Up to you though. Both were incredible and if you have time I would just say do both.

Getting to the Key Summit Hike.

Getting to Key summit is going to require your own transport. You could probably organize something from Te Anau but shuttles can be expensive especially if you need to be picked up again later. My best suggestion is to have your own car, it’s what we did and it provides unlimited freedom which is incredible here because there are so many places to stop and take photos and so many short hikes and other things to do on the way to Milford Sound.

The hike begins at the Divide parking lot right off the Milford Sound Road, 85kms out of Te Anau, I’ve pinned it for you on the map below. From there the trail starts at the left end of the parking lot(if you parked nose in) but you can’t miss it, it’s marked with a big sign. Also, there are only toilets down the bottom of the trail so if you need to go go now.

Where to stay close to Key Summit.

So there is not actually anywhere to stay around Key Summit, your closest town is going to be Te Anau but it is a perfect little town to base yourself for a few days and do day trips into Fjordland National Park.

So if you’re backpacking and want to meet other people and maybe try and organize a car or some trips with them to help keep costs down then you might want to check out these two places.

YHA Te Anau offers stylish and quite accommodation one block back from Lake Te Anau. Each bed has its own locker and they can also help you organize and book transport should you need it.
Dorms start at $30 NZD. Private and double rooms are also available.

Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers is another option. Located right on the lake and only a 5-minute walk to the shops they have everything you need including laundry, movie room and secure storage. They will also be able to help sort out transport if needed.
Dorms here start at $29 NZD per night and private rooms are also available.

Now if you are looking for something more private with an actual hotel-motel vibe then you might want to check out one of these. Of course, though private rooms also come with a higher price tag so maybe not exactly for the budget-friendly traveler which Sara and I generally are.

Distinction Luxmore Hotel is located in the center of town and close to everything you will need. It has a basic fitness center which is nice if you are not too tired from hiking all day. The restaurant has vegetarian options which is always a bonus. The rooms are standard but nice and it comes complete with heated blankets which is such a win in winter time!

Bella Vista Motel Te Anau is another really nice options, with modern rooms, large bathrooms and varying abilities to cook from just toast to full kitchens, which might make it a nice option if there are a couple of you willing to share a bed but still wanting the ability to cook. They can also help organize any tours or transport you might need

This is what the car park looks like, the entrance to the trail is just behind the van.

Hiking the Routeburn Trail

So the Key Summit Hike takes you along part of the Routeburn Trail. Once you are at the top the views might put the idea into your head that you want to do this hike also. If that is the case you can read about Hiking the Routeburn Trail here

Tips on how to hike sustainably.

So this is something I think about every time I go anywhere and it ranges from things as simple as buying a banana and making a sandwich instead of buying plastic wrapped products to buying clothing from companies that support sustainable business practices.

Here are a few little tips to help you hike more sustainably.

If you travel and hike often one of the things I would suggest investing in is a Water bladder. Osprey makes a nice series of them that range from 1.5 liters to 3 liters. I use one of these every hike unless it is below negative 5 then the water tends to get really cold and or freeze. The benefit for me is that as you drink the packaging gets smaller and you end up with more room in your pack for a jacket or something else you might take off later and you never actually have to take your bag off to get a drink, just hang the straw over your shoulder and drink as you see fit.

A reusable non-plastic water bottle is also something that will cut a crazy amount of plastic waste out of your life. Hydro Flask is one super popular company and they make a massive range of sizes and shapes.

Food, food is almost always wrapped in plastic when you buy it but this has been a surprisingly easy one to get around. It may be a little harder if you are backpacking but we’re traveling in our van so we have a small kitchen. We have started to make everything and package it in reusable containers that we just take on the next hike. Sara has been perfecting making these protein balls that are a mix of oats, peanut butter, cranberries, almonds and whatever else we have lying around. Also fruit! But if you buy fruit do not throw the peel along the track. These things can take forever to break down especially if they are not regional fruits and no one really wants to see someone’s old orange or banana peel lying around on the track.

Clothing is something that is often overlooked as a sustainable product as you just kind of wear things till they are old and then throw them away but there is a range of companies out there these days that are making amazing products built to last. Patagonia is one company I can not push enough. They support so many environmental campaigns, they have a lifetime warranty on everything they sell and they give one percent of all sales back to small grassroots charities. They will also repair any clothes you take into them with minor issues.

What Camera Gear We Use.

Digital Camera: Sony A7riii
Drone: Mavic Pro 2
Landscape Lens: Sony 16-35mm F2.8
GoPro: GoPro Hero 7 Black Would upgrade to Hero 8 Black though
Favorite Lens: Sony 24-70mm F4
Circular Polarizer: Hoya Digital PRO1
Power Bank: Anker PowerCore 20100 (A little heavy but amazing especially for multiday adventures)
Tripod: Vanguard VEO 2 265AB

Packing List for Key Summit Hike.

So this is just kind of good overall for any hike in New Zealand in Winter as they can all be pretty similar.

You are going to want thermals top and bottom and warm socks!(These socks are merino and have a lifetime warranty.. win-win) This seems like common sense but I am from Byron Bay, Australia and when I first started getting into colder climates none of this was common sense to me haha. I had no idea what thermals were.
Hiking boots or good hiking shoes slipping along with cold feet and toes are the banes of enjoyment when it comes to winter hiking good boots will help reduce this.
A good jacket, personally I wore two. I had a small down jacket on like the one in the link with a Goretex shell over the top because the wind can get brutal!
Water and snacks are an obvious must. I would say 1 to 2 liters of water in winter will be enough. I took 1 liter and was perfectly happy with that. Summer may be a very different issue though and I would plan for 2 liters.
Hiking poles are good to have if you have any issues with slipping or if you just want to save your knees a little bit of stress on the way down. I don’t use these unless it is a very steep hike but they help out a lot with pressure on your knees and if you don’t hike that much but plan on doing a lot in New Zealand they might be a lifesaver.
Gloves and beanie are also very necessary items!!!
This might seem a little over the top but being warm and hiking smart are key to staying safe in Winter especially in a place like New Zealand where the weather can be so erratic.