Distance: 6.4 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy terrain
Altitude: 630m to 715m. Gain: 182m. Loss: 117m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

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

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

From McKellar Hut follow the well formed Greenstone track northwards past Lake McKellar and the turnoff to the Caples Track. There is an official DOC campsite near Greenstone Saddle with a pit toilet which is the closest "official" place you can camp for free to the Routeburn, 1 hour from Howden Hut. Continue on past Lake Howden to reach Howden Hut at the lake's outlet, on the Routeburn Track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Picking up the Greenstone Track, the tramp edges past Lake Howden towards the Greenstone Saddle (not obvious) and continues on a flat grade to the turn-off to the Caples Track. Just beyond is Lake McKellar.

Having walked the length of the lake, McKellar Hut is a short distance beyond, overlooking the top of the Greenstone Valley.