Distance : 14km Elevation gain : 1438m Total elevation : 1748m
Parking : generally paid parking in town. you can just walk from the centre of Queenstown and walk up to the trailhead as there is limited parking near the bottom.
Dogs : No 🙁
Summary : A long but fun hike with great views over looking Queenstown and the surrounding mountains.
- Access the Tiki Trail next to the Gondola in town
- After 2km pass the top of the Gondola and follow the paved track next to Luge
- Follow the Ben Lomond track to the Saddle (3.5km)
- Finish the final Summit Track (1.5km – 500m Elevation Gain)
The trailhead is at the base of the Skyline Gondola, parking is limited but it’s a short walk from town. Starting up the Tiki trail, you head up through a beautiful forest. This track is very rugged and steep so prepare to get a bit of a sweat on. We experienced delays due to tree felling so it’s always worthwhile to look up the trail conditions. You’ll be able to see the zipline throughout the hike. Enjoy the shade while it lasts because after hitting the top of the gondola there will be very little tree cover.
Around the 2km mark you arrive at the top of the gondola and from there you continue onto the Ben Lomond trail. You’ll walk up a paved path next to the Luge and after going over a bridge will continue downhill until you reach the start of the Ben Lomond summit track. The track to the saddle is very well maintained and gently climbs up the ridge leading to the saddle of Ben Lomond and Mt Bowens. There are a few downhill sections to give your legs a break but apart from that the trail will be quite consistent up. From the start of the summit track it is about 3.5km until you reach the saddle. There is a newly installed outhouse up there so if you have an emergency, hopefully you can hold it until then.
After arriving at the saddle you will make a left toward the Ben Lomond summit. This entails 500m of elevation gain over 1.5km. It’s really important to take your time, especially if you’re not a well seasoned hiker, as it is very steep relative to the rest of the walk. There is little exposure and the trail is more of a work out than an expedition. That being said, if you are not used to being high up on mountains you may find this a little more intense than other easier tracks such as Queenstown Hill. After skirting around the backside of the mountain you’ll make a couple last switchbacks through tussock to the summit. Enjoy the beautiful views all the way from Mt. Aspiring Park to Lake Wakatipu.
