| Distance | Time | Difficulty | Dogs | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400m return | 20 mins | Easy | Not allowed | Visitor Centre |
Need to stretch your legs at Milford Sound before or after your cruise? The Milford Sound Lookout Track is a quick 20-minute walk up to a viewpoint overlooking the fiord and Mitre Peak. It’s got steps, it’s uphill the whole way, and the sandflies are brutal – but the view’s pretty good.
Most tourists miss this one completely because it’s tucked behind the café near Donald Sutherland’s grave. Honestly, if you’re choosing between this and the Foreshore Walk, do the Foreshore Walk. But if you’ve got time for both, this gives you a different perspective from up high.
We drove out to Milford Sound for the day from our hotel in Te Anau. This gave us plenty of time to do a few free walks then take a 2 hour boat trip in the Milford Sounds. It really is spectacular and well worth it. If you’d rather someone else drive while you soak up the scenery (it’s a long drive of 155m) then take a bus tour which includes the cruise and a walk, which leave from Te Anau. You’ll need to read about how much it costs to park in Milford Sound before you decide whether to take your car or not.
Take the option of leaving the car behind and traveling to Milford Sound from Queenstown or Te Anau by bus. This is way much better, the road out to Milford Sound is long and very beautiful. If you’re driving its hard to see all the sights. You’ll also get a running commentary from the driver or tour guide the whole way. Here are some fantastic options for including a boat trip with walking tracks in Milford Sound.
GPS Coordinates: -44.6719, 167.9264 (Milford Sound Visitor Centre car park)
Parking: There’s paid parking at Milford Sound now. Check current rates at the Visitor Centre. The car park fills up fast in summer (November-March), especially between 11am-2pm when tour buses arrive. Get there early or late afternoon. Parking is expensive, read more about Milford Sound car parking in our must read guide.
Public Transport: InterCity buses and most Milford Sound tour operators from Te Anau and Queenstown stop here. If you’re on a tour, you’ll have limited time – ask your driver how long you’ve got. Most tours don’t include this walk because it takes time away from the cruise.
This is the trickiest bit – the track’s easy to miss.
From the main car park:
If you can’t find it: Go into the café and ask. Seriously, it’s tucked away and people miss it constantly.
It’s dead simple once you find the start – 400 metres return, all on formed track.
The route:
Takes 20 minutes total if you’re moving at a decent pace, 30 if you stop for photos at the top.
The viewpoint gives you an elevated perspective over Milford Sound with Mitre Peak across the water. It’s a nice view, you can see the wharf, the tour boats, and the sheer rock walls of the fiord.
Is it spectacular? Eh, it’s decent. The thing is, when you’re AT Milford Sound, everything’s spectacular. This viewpoint’s good, but it’s not massively different from what you see from the car park or the Foreshore Walk. The main advantage is you’re looking DOWN at the fiord rather than across it.
The beech forest on the way up is typical Fiordland – mossy, dripping, dense. Nothing remarkable, but it’s nice enough.
About Donald Sutherland’s grave: Donald and Elizabeth Sutherland were Milford Sound’s first permanent European residents in the late 1800s. Donald was a bit of a character, he “discovered” Sutherland Falls (NZ’s tallest waterfall) and ran accommodation for Milford Track walkers. He died in 1919, Elizabeth in 1924. Their graves are right at the start of this track. It’s a quiet spot, easy to walk past without noticing.
Trees blocking the view: Fair warning, the vegetation’s grown up a bit since this track was cut. Some trees are starting to block parts of the view from the platform. DOC needs to do some trimming. You’ll still get good views, but it’s not as open as it used to be.
Sandflies: They’re everywhere at Milford Sound. Bring repellent and use it liberally. They’re relentless. Long sleeves and pants help too.
Most people spend 2-4 hours at Milford Sound:
If you only have time for one walk, do the Foreshore Walk. It’s easier, longer, and honestly gives you better views because you’re right at water level with the fiord walls towering above you.
Milford Sound Foreshore Walk – 20 mins return, completely flat, wheelchair accessible, right along the water’s edge. Better than the lookout track IMO.
The Chasm Walk – 20 mins return, 9km before Milford Sound on the road from Te Anau. Water-carved rock formations, impressive after rain.
Mirror Lakes Walk – 5-10 mins, boardwalk loop, 56km from Te Anau on Milford Road. Mountain reflections on calm mornings.
Lake Gunn Nature Walk – 45 mins loop through beech forest, near Mirror Lakes. More substantial than these quick stops.
Key Summit Track – 3 hours return from The Divide. Proper alpine walk with 360° views. Much more substantial than these short walks.
Your dining options at Milford Sound are extremely limited:
Discover Milford Sound Information Centre & Café – Behind where this walk starts. Basic café food, pies, sandwiches, coffee. Gets absolutely slammed when tour buses arrive. Food’s average, prices are tourist-level inflated.
Pio Pio Café – Similar story. Basic food, busy with tour groups, overpriced.
Milford Sound Lodge – Slightly more substantial meals if you’re staying overnight. Still not great.
My honest advice: Pack your own lunch. Bring snacks and water from Te Anau. There’s nowhere nice to sit and eat at Milford Sound anyway, you’re better off having a picnic at one of the stops on Milford Road (Mirror Lakes, Knobs Flat) where you can actually enjoy your food.
The café coffee’s drinkable at least. Get that if you need a caffeine hit before the drive back.
Look, the Milford Sound Lookout Track is fine. It’s a quick walk with a decent view. But let’s be real, you’ve driven 2-4 hours to get to Milford Sound, you’re probably doing a cruise, and you’ve got limited time. This walk is your third priority after the cruise and the Foreshore Walk.
The view from the platform is nice, but it’s not dramatically better than what you see from the car park. The Foreshore Walk gives you a better experience because you’re right at the water’s edge with the fiord walls around you.
Where this walk wins is if you’ve got extra time and you want to see Milford Sound from a different angle. The elevated perspective is cool. And if you’re into a bit of Milford Sound history, the Sutherland graves at the start are mildly interesting.
The sandflies though. Bloody hell, the sandflies. Bring repellent.
My rating: 3/5 – Decent view, quick walk, but not essential. The Foreshore Walk is better.
How long is the Milford Sound Lookout Track? 400 metres return, takes about 20 minutes including time at the viewpoint with steps the whole way up.
Where does the Milford Sound Lookout Track start? Behind the café at Milford Sound, past two brown buildings toward Donald Sutherland’s grave. It’s easy to miss – ask at the café if you can’t find it. There’s a small DOC sign beside a brown hedge.
Is the Milford Sound Lookout Track worth it? If you’ve got 20 minutes to spare after doing the Foreshore Walk and cruise, yes. The view over Milford Sound and Mitre Peak is decent, but honestly the Foreshore Walk shows you more of the fiord and is better.
Are there toilets at Milford Sound? Yes, at the Visitor Centre near where this walk starts. No toilets at the lookout viewpoint itself.
What are the best short walks in Milford Sound? Milford Foreshore Walk (20-30 mins, flat, wheelchair accessible) is better than the Lookout Track. Also worth doing The Chasm (20 mins, 9km before Milford Sound on the road from Te Anau).
How much does parking cost at Milford Sound? Parking at Milford Sound is now paid. Check current rates at the Visitor Centre or online before you visit. It changed from free to paid parking in recent years.
Can you see Mitre Peak from the Lookout Track? Yes, you get elevated views over Milford Sound with Mitre Peak across the water. Some trees are blocking parts of the view now though – DOC needs to trim them back.
