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The famed Fiordland of the South Island of New Zealand may already be on your big-trip radar, but instead of following the flock and fighting for a permit to Milford Sound only to tramp a well trodden track, consider the solitude and challenge of the Dusky. Named simply for the time of day when Captain Cook entered it for the first time in 1770, Dusky Sound is where you’re likely to see some indigenous wildlife (it’s a popular breeding ground for the Fiordland Penguin). While the trail is mostly well marked and follows rivers, it’s not always obvious (bring a map, compass and download this free GPS app and route!). This is what the Dusky is famous for: deep mucky mud, huge puddles of standing water, intricate systems of roots to use as ladders to clamber over massive boulders, a lush forest thick with mosses and ferns and spectacular views of this dramatic Fiordland landscape.
The closest towns are Te Anau and Manapouri. From them, a number of options exist for this trek. You can grab a ferry to start or do as I did and hire a float plane to fly into Supper Cove and hike back out over five days. Search “Dusky Track” at doc.govt.nz for more info.
1. Start: Supper Cove (-45.702145, 166.944626)
I jumped off the pontoon of the float plane and sloshed through the knee deep salty water of Supper Cove, the deepest spot of Dusky Sound away from the ocean. My pack was held high over my head as I hauled it from the plane up on to the small beach along the serpentine tree-covered coastline. The pilot said not to worry about taking my boots off to keep them dry as I deplaned. “Your boots and feet will be soaked not ten minutes into the trail anyway,” he said. He was right.
2. Walkwires: Minimalist Bridges (-45.694077, 166.964767)
These bridges take some getting used to. You walk on a wire and have two hand-rail wires to help with your balance. The bridge does swing some but the wires keep their hold. Don’t worry: if you don’t totally get it on the first try, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice.
3. Side Trip: Furkert Pass (-45.69241, 167.108231)
Shedding down to just a daypack, I popped up and out of the valley onto the ridge above to get some spectacular views west back toward Supper Cove, then returned to Loch Maree Hut for a second night. If you bring your full pack, you can add a few days to this side trek and visit Lake Hauroko.
4. Off Trail: Mt. Memphis (-45.591461, 167.163467)
No Elvis here. I checked. After lunch at Centre Pass, I wasn’t satisfied with the elevation gain and wanted to see more. I stashed my pack and forged my own route upward to 1,405 meters (4,600 feet) and enjoyed a view of where I had just been and got a good look ahead along the trail to come.
5. nd: Lake Manapouri (-45.523834, 167.274734)
Off the trail and after a short stint on a dirt road, I reached the west arm of Lake Manapouri and only had a short wait until the once-a-day boat arrived to pick me and a few other trekkers up. The boat departed at 4.30 p.m., but be sure to double check in town before you depart on your trip.
