New Chums LoopBeginner

Description

From the car park head downstream on the Queenstown Trail for 1km before turning left to cross the river on a bridge.

On the far side of the bridge head straight on (away from the river) uphill on Tobins Track. This is a steady climb on 4WD track. A little over 1km up the hill keep a very sharp eye out for a single track trail on your left. It leaves the main trail at about an 8 o'clock angle and is marked with a couple of orange triangles on a gate, but was not signposted last time I went this way.

The trail heads uphill through fairly open scrub/grass and affords great views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Hayes. After about 500m the trail levels out a little and you'll see a couple of orange triangles on a pole, leading you off left. This is NOT the way to go. Instead stay right and you'll soon pick up more orange marker poles as the trail tops out and then starts to drop quite steeply into New Chums Gully, eventually crossing the small creek at the bottom.

After crossing this creek and another small one just beyond, a short climb brings you out above the Arrow River, with spectacular views of the bridge that you will soon be using to cross it. A sharp descent takes you to the river, which you now cross by said bridge. On the far side climb a short way and follow the trail as it turns left to follow above the river.

The last few hundred metres follow a still-working old pipeline. You can either wade across the river or head right to pick up a small footbridge a hundred metres upstream. On the far side a left turn takes you back to the start point.

Features of interest

Arrowtown is full of old mining history.
Spectacular autumn colours if you're lucky enough to be doing this around April.

Make Up of Run

Moderate Single Track: 20%

Easy Single Track: 65%

Farm Road / 4WD Track: 15%

Route Data