The Chasm
Milford Road - Fiordland National Park
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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Information
The Chasm
400 m return | 20 minutes return
Swirl holes are created in chunks of solid rock, like here in the granites beds of the North Branch of the Cleddau River. As there are few fractures and cracks in the smooth bedrock, the erosive power of the water is translated into these unusually rounded indentations. These are formed by stones being eddied around a small depression by the force of moving water, then enlarged in a positive feedback mechanism as the holes increase in size.
Walking Track
Timing
The bigger the rain, the bigger the river. Best at when it is chucking it down Fiordland style and has been doing so for 12 hours beforehand.
Visit early in the morning or late in the evening, when the midday pulse of tourists on the coach to/from Queenstown are not there.
Access
The Chasm is well signposted 10 km before Milford Sound. Take care in the large car park, as on busy days there can be up to 15 coaches jostling for position.
Track
This well used track has been concreted and overlain with boardwalks and is about the most sanitised of all the Milford Road walks. It has been especially designed so that coach loads of unseasoned walkers cannot slip or break a heel and find some authority to bemoan for not providing a safe walking environment. Bring a buggy if you have one to plough through the hoards. Regardeless of whether you have a baby to put in it or not.
The bridge over The Chasm is especially crowded.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC FiordlandCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Milford Sound - Fiordland National Park |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Walking
Nearby
Reviews
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4.0/5
Nice short walk on well maintained path.
Very impressive sigh and worth a stop. Might even be able to get a coffee from the coffee van in the car park.
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3.5/5
Easy walk.
However, it is very busy with tourists and based on the praise the site received in brochures and stuff I expected a lot more from it. Still a nice opportunity to stretch your legs and observe the impressive fjordland nature.
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5.0/5
Impressive stone formation, it is incredible how water has shaped the rocks after all these years.
Easy walk.
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3.5/5
Nice little walk with waterfalls.
We were not that impressed but it is nice to stretch your legs.
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3.0/5
Easy walk to the river where you can see different rocks sculpted by the river.
Very busy with tourists. Lots of Kea birds in the carpark.
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5.0/5
Fantastic!!
A short and easy walk where you could see a rock chasm formed by the rushing of the water. Also you could see falls around the walk.
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4.0/5
Great little walk but one of the main buss stops for the tourist busses.
If you can time it right, it is great. Still if the busses are there it is still worth it. Amazing water feature you cannot see anywhere else.
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4.0/5
We were unsure about this short walk as the parking lot was full of tour busses, but we were rewarded with an amazing sight.
It was worth it to brave the crowds!!
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5.0/5
Only a 15 minute loop walk.
The Chasm itself is mesmerising and we spent a good 10 minutes staring into the abyss, despite the rain. The highlight though, is the cheeky Kea at the carpark! Do not feed them - they will pose for photos without a bribe.
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4.0/5
Nice short walk on well maintained path.
Very impressive sigh and worth a stop. Might even be able to get a coffee from the coffee van in the car park.
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3.5/5
Easy walk.
However, it is very busy with tourists and based on the praise the site received in brochures and stuff I expected a lot more from it. Still a nice opportunity to stretch your legs and observe the impressive fjordland nature.
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5.0/5
Impressive stone formation, it is incredible how water has shaped the rocks after all these years.
Easy walk.
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3.5/5
Nice little walk with waterfalls.
We were not that impressed but it is nice to stretch your legs.
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5.0/5
Fantastic!!
A short and easy walk where you could see a rock chasm formed by the rushing of the water. Also you could see falls around the walk.
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3.0/5
Easy walk to the river where you can see different rocks sculpted by the river.
Very busy with tourists. Lots of Kea birds in the carpark.
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4.0/5
Great little walk but one of the main buss stops for the tourist busses.
If you can time it right, it is great. Still if the busses are there it is still worth it. Amazing water feature you cannot see anywhere else.
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4.0/5
We were unsure about this short walk as the parking lot was full of tour busses, but we were rewarded with an amazing sight.
It was worth it to brave the crowds!!
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5.0/5
Only a 15 minute loop walk.
The Chasm itself is mesmerising and we spent a good 10 minutes staring into the abyss, despite the rain. The highlight though, is the cheeky Kea at the carpark! Do not feed them - they will pose for photos without a bribe.
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4.5/5
Turn right at the donation box!
Little path to a clear lake to jump in! Beautiful scenery. Very cold but worth it.
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4.5/5
A half hour round trip that can be done faster.
Well marked out path and great natural interest.
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4.0/5
It costs nothing and takes a very short amount of time, making more than worthwhile.
The sound of the roaring water pouring through the chasm and the chasm itself are worth seeing.
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4.5/5
A very well-maintained short walk through lovely forest to an impressive view of waterfalls and holes bored in rock by the water.
Time your walk to avoid the same time a tour bus, or buses, arrive !
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3.5/5
Just before leaving Milford we decided to stop and make this 15min track.
We discover another incredible scenery in this amazing place.
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4.5/5
If youre spending a day or two on the Milford Highway this walk is definately worth a stop.
The walk is really short and thr track is well maintained, you could probably manage it in a wheelchair without too much trouble.
You turn a corner and see spectacular waterfalls and amazing shapes that have been carved out of the rocks by the water. Tour buses do stop here a lot because its so accesible and photogenic so be prepared to share the views.
You could probably do the walk in 10 minutes if you don't hang around and the chasm for too long.
Its also a good place to stop and let the engine cool down if youre driving and older car because the road back up to this walk is pretty steep and winding.
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5.0/5
Unexpected raging torrent of water seen at best during the 2 days of rain we had in this area.
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