Clearwater Track

Starting from the south side of Buicks Bridge, which crosses the South Branch Ashburton River, marker poles guide you westward through open terrain towards the gap between Mt Guy and Dogs Hill. At the 5km mark, the trail crosses a fence line and later joins an old farm track, which it follows for another 5km. At this point, the marked trail takes a left turn and heads towards a saddle at the western end of Mt Guy, passing a tarn along the way. From the Saddle, you'll enjoy panoramic views of Lake Clearwater, the Harper Range, Mt Potts, and even the Rangitata River and beyond. Follow the fence line downhill to the creek at the base of the hill. Then, the trail veers southwest towards the head of Lake Clearwater, where it merges with another old farm track. This track continues towards the Potts River but stops at a gate. To stay on Te Araroa, head northward to avoid crossing private property. The trail then bends around towards the lip on the true left bank of the Potts River. After reaching the lip, the trail remains elevated and follows the fence line. It then descends steeply into a gully that leads to the Potts River bed. If the river is running clear, the easiest route is usually downstream to the carpark at the road bridge. However, if the Potts River is discoloured, this exit may be impassable. In that case, the recommended option is to climb up the other side of the gully to the south. Trampers can then stay on the Potts side of the fence line until reaching the road. From there, it's a short downhill walk to the car park and trailhead.

There are no huts en route but camping is permitted at any point down this track.

You'll need to arrange transport to each end of this track, unless linking with other tracks to start and finish at the same place. The track may be walked in either direction. The track (as described) starts from the south side of Buicks Bridge , which crosses the South Branch Ashburton River and f inishes at Potts River Bridge carpark , Hakatere Potts Road. Click the links above to use Google Maps to find your way there.

We encourage you to continue gaining the skills and knowledge required for a safe trip. The NZ Mountain Safety Council has lots of free resources and information you can use. These can be accessed via www.mountainsafety.org.nz . Level up in your outdoor knowledge with these interactive online learning tools: Trip Planning Tramping / field Skills Basic Navigation River Safety Additionally, check out the range of helpful videos available from the NZ Mountain Safety Council YouTube channel .

Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times.