Here’s how to hike the Rocky Mountain Summit track, a scenic hiking trail located in the Diamond Lake and Hospital Flat conservation area (Otago).
While most travelers visiting Wanaka will have Roy’s Peak high on their list, the truth is that there are so many more great trails nearby!
If you want amazing lake and mountain views without the crowds, the Rocky Mountain Summit track is a great alternative to similarly spectacular views. This is a short, yet rewarding mountain summit overlooking the beautiful lakes surrounding Wanaka.
Overview & Things to Know
There are two primary walking tracks in the Diamond Lake Conservation Area. However, they join at the Diamond Lake Lookout to form a single, longer track.
Below are the return times taken from the DOC website. If you're fit and a regular hiker, you can expect to almost halve these walking times.
- Diamond Lake Circuit Track: 45 minutes, 2.5 km
- Diamond Lake Lookout: 1 hour, 2 km
- Lake Wānaka Lookout: 2 hours, 5 km
- Rocky Mountain Summit Track: 3 hours, 7 km
Full Route: My Strava | Download GPX (.gpx 731 KB)
How to Get to the Rocky Mountain Trailhead
All Rocky Mountain and Diamond Lake walking tracks start from a large car park in the Diamond Lake Conservation Area only 20 minutes from Wanaka.
To get here, take the very scenic Wanaka-Mount Aspiring Road towards the Treble Cone Ski Field. You will pass the Roy's Peak car park on the way.
Location: Diamond Lake Conservation Area
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What to Expect on the Rocky Mountain Summit Hike
- Hike Distance: 7 km
- Hike Duration: 2-3 hours
- Elevation: 410 m gain, Summit height: 775 m AMSL
- Difficulty: Easy - Moderate
The Rocky Mountain Summit walking track begins with a gentle climb following the edge of Diamond Lake. This begins almost immediately as you depart from the car park. We saw a toilet here which is useful before you start.
Soon, the track turns into a steeper section with wooden steps. The trail is very easy to follow and very wide. We saw plenty of children on the trail and some older couples as well.
The wooden steps continue up the hill and lead to the Diamond Lake Lookout.
Diamond Lake Lookout
This lookout viewpoint offers a great view of the lake and the opposite mountain range. At this height, we were able to see the edge of Lake Wanaka in the distance.
From here the track continues to climb gently to the Lake Wanaka Lookout. This is no steeper than the previous sections and is easily manageable. Don't let the big backpacks in the photo fool you– we only carry the gear for photos!
Lake Wanaka Lookout
On this track, the higher we climbed, the better the views became. The Lake Wanaka lookout was no exception. The views here of Lake Wanaka are spectacular and make for some great photo opportunities.
However, if you are planning on walking to the Rocky Mountain summit, you don't need to take the detour to the Lake Wanaka lookout, since it's essentially the same view, only better.
Tip: If you've got the time and energy, I'd highly recommend instead to continue on to the Rocky Mountain Summit, which is realistically, only an extra 30 minutes from the signpost to the Lake Wanaka lookout.
Rocky Mountain Summit View
Once we reached a small flat section underneath Rocky Mountain, we had the choice of taking two tracks to the top. These two tracks form a loop back to the summit.
I'd recommend taking the left track for the ascent as we did. This made for a more relaxing and scenic climb.
After only an extra 100m of elevation, we were rewarded with the epic summit lookout view. In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated lookouts near Wanaka, with clear views out to the southern Alps, Mount Aspiring, and the Wanaka Lake.
Where to Stay Near Wanaka
As you can see, there are many great hiking trails in Wanaka, not just Roy's Peak! I recommend staying at least a few days to make the most of the region. Below are my favourite accommodations for each budget.
1. Edgewater Hotel Hotel
Overlooking Wanaka Lake this hotel offers its guests a relaxing atmosphere and is located just a short 2 km from the town centre.
2. YHA Wanaka Hostel
A great choice for those wanting a budget-style accommodation choice. It offers private and dorm rooms and is located in the middle of Wanaka town.
3. Wanaka Luxury Apartments Apartment
If you're traveling in a group this might suit your needs. An apartment-style accommodation choice that has its own pool and can sleep up to six guests.
I hope that you found this guide to hiking guide useful. If you have any questions or updated track information, please help other travelers by leaving a comment below.
For now, why not check out the below list of more epic things to do around Wanaka and New Zealand's South Island below?
- 36 Amazing Places to Visit in the South Island - my most comprehensive travel guide that is useful to help you find the best places to visit on your trip to the South Island
- Top Things to Do in Queenstown: Explore Queenstown's top hikes, epic adrenaline activities, and hidden gems.
- South Island's Best Hikes: I hiked over 50 trails in New Zealand. Here's my curated list of the most breathtaking hikes across New Zealand's South Island.
- Arthur's Pass Travel Guide: Dive into the heart of Arthur's Pass with my guide to the best places to visit.
- Best Mount Cook National Park Hikes: A hiking guide to the most scenic trails beneath Mount Cook.
- Best Views of Mount Cook: Discover the top spots to witness New Zealand's Aoraki peak in all its glory.
- Epic Things to do at Milford Sound: Explore 21 unique ideas get inspired to visit Milford Sound!
- Catlins' Hidden Gems: Uncover the Catlins' best-kept secrets, from waterfalls to wild coastlines.
- Accommodation Resources: Plan where to stay in Queenstown and discover the amazing Tekapo Lake Hotels.
