As this is a long walk to complete in one day, you may choose to halve the walk by taking the water taxi to Lakehead Hut or Coldwater Hut and walking back to Kerr Bay.

Beginning in Kerr Bay, take the Lakehead Track around the eastern shore and reach Lakehead Hut after about three hours. If the Travers River is low, you can cross the river opposite the hut to get to the main Travers Valley Track and Coldwater Hut; otherwise there is a swingbridge located 1 hr 30 min further up the Travers Valley.

From Lakehead Hut to Coldwater Hut via the swingbridge is three hours.

From Coldwater Hut at the lake edge, the Lakeside Track heads north along the western lake shore. An hour from the hut the track passes by a short side track to Whisky Falls.

After another hour the track turns away from the lake and climbs to Mt Robert Road. To complete the circuit along the road to West Bay and tracks to Kerr Bay adds another hour.