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Hiking

Ōkārito Trig: lagoon, coast and Southern Alps views

ReGear

Walk Ōkārito Trig: 4.2 km return and about 90 minutes, with School House parking, junction guidance, real aerial maps and what to bring.

Okarito Lagoon and the West Coast viewed from Okarito Trig.

At a glance

  • Distance: 4.2 km return.
  • Walking time: about 1 hour 30 minutes, plus stops.
  • Effort: a steady uphill walk on a well-graded track.
  • Start: School House car park, The Strand, Ōkārito.

Find the start

From Franz Josef, drive about 15 km north on SH6 to the signed Ōkārito turnoff, then follow the sealed road for about 13 km to the settlement. The walks start beside the School House on The Strand. Return to this car park after the walk.

Follow the route

  1. Start on the Wetland Walk. Follow the marked route from the School House, then join the Three Mile Pack Track.
  2. Take the trig turn. After roughly 10–15 minutes, turn left for Ōkārito Trig rather than continuing along the Three Mile route.
  3. Climb to the viewpoint. Follow the graded track uphill. In clear weather, look across the lagoon and coast towards the Southern Alps. Retrace the same route to finish.

Location and route maps

The wider map places the walk in its region; the closer map highlights the track in orange. Tap either map to enlarge it. Open DOC’s official track page and map for current notices.

Okarito Trig location relative to Franz Josef on real aerial imagery, with north up.
Okarito Trig mapped walking track highlighted orange on real aerial imagery, with its entrance marked and north up.

Effort and facilities

The climb is the main effort. Set a pace that lets the whole group keep moving comfortably, and leave a little time to enjoy the top. Cloud can hide the mountains, so choose a clear forecast if the distant view is your main reason for going.

Carry your own water and use facilities in the settlement before setting off. This guide follows the trig return walk; it does not add a beach or Three Mile loop.

What I would bring

I would bring a windproof or waterproof layer for the viewpoint, grippy shoes, water and a snack. Keep your camera easy to reach without needing to unpack on the track. A saved map helps you identify the trig turn before you reach it.

Before you go

Check DOC’s current access notices and weather, and leave your route and return time with someone. Follow the trig signs at the junction; if they do not match your plan, stop and check rather than continuing onto a longer route.

Read next: Organise your walking pack.

Sources and photo credits

Sources checked 5 October 2026.

Maps: LINZ Basemaps and imagery contributors, CC BY 4.0. Track geometry: Crown copyright, Department of Conservation, DOC Tracks dataset, CC BY 4.0. Location labels and route highlights added.

Photo: Okarito Lagoon from Okarito Trig.jpg — Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia. Public domain. Resized for display.