Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake

The Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake hike is 22.68 km in total, and the Department of Conservation lists the Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake section as about 4 hours one way for 11.8 km. Most hikers should plan on a full day for the out-and-back route, especially with 481 m of climbing and rougher tramping terrain near Mystery Lake.

Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake is 22.68 km overall. The one-way section from Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake is commonly given as 11.8 km, so the full return distance comes out at just under 23 km, which matches the mapped route length.

The track starts at Lake Clearwater in the Ashburton Lakes area of Hakatere Conservation Park, west of Mount Somers. Access is via Ashburton Gorge Road, which becomes Hakatere Potts Road, and Lake Clearwater is about 33 km west of Mount Somers by road.

Not all of the drive to Lake Clearwater is sealed. The approach begins on Ashburton Gorge Road from Mount Somers, but the latter part toward Lake Clearwater is gravel on Hakatere Potts Road, so drivers should expect an unsealed final section before reaching the trailhead.

No. Dogs are not allowed around Lake Clearwater, including the hut and campground areas, the lake shores, and the surrounding conservation land tracks. That means the Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake hike is not dog-friendly.

Camping is available near the start of the Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake hike at the Lake Clearwater camping ground by the southern end of Lake Clearwater. The site has toilets and water that must be boiled for drinking, and it sits beside the hut settlement at roughly 650 m above sea level.

There is no standard bus service or tram to the Lake Clearwater to Mystery Lake trailhead at Lake Clearwater. In practice, access is by private vehicle via Mount Somers and Hakatere Potts Road, so transport planning usually centers on driving to the lake.