Distance: 3.8 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Road - Easy terrain
Altitude: 393m to 762m. Gain: 373m. Loss: 4m . Gradient: 6 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Road (1/9)
Formed road, 4WD track, etc

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

A signposted marked walking track climbs from the carpark skirting houses and joins the Mt Judah Track (former roadway) as it makes its sidling climb up the western side of the Buckler Burn valley.

After 1km (30 mins) the first historic site is reached -the Glenorchy Battery. The most complete of all the sites the equipment is still present and looks as if only abandoned a few days ago. Another 30 minutes takes you to the first mine - located below the track and signposted. This is a drift mine tunneled into the hillside. Old huts, railways and the mine entrance are all visible though exploration of tunnels is discouraged.

1km beyond the mine a signposted track junction is reached with a track dropping towards the Buckler Burn below, with access (if the river is low enough to cross) to MacIntyre and MacIntosh huts. The main track continues to climb towards further mine sites and Heather Jock Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the signposted track junction the Mt Judah Track makes a slow sidling descent towards the main Wakatipu Valley below. A drift mine is passed after 1km, and the large Glenorchy Battery another kilometer after that. Soon after a signpost points right to the carpark and the public track leaves the now-private Mt Judah Road and drops to the carpark beside Buckler Burn below.