The Milford Track - Day 3 - Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge via Omanui / McKinnon Pass

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Route: Pompolona Lodge, Mirror Lake, Lake Mintaro, Mintaro Hut, McKinnon Pass, McKinnon Pass Shelter, Emergency Track, Andersons Cascade, Andersons Cascade Shelter, Quintin Lodge

Date: 02/02/2026

From: Pompolona Lodge

Parking: N/A

Start Point: Pompolona Lodge

Finish Point: Quintin Lodge

Region: Fiordland National Park

Route Length: 15.9 km

Time Taken: 04:52

Average Speed: 3.25 km/h

Ascent: 803m

Descent: 978m

Points of Interest: Omanui / McKinnon Pass, Andersons Cascade, Sutherland Falls

On paper, Day 3 is the most challenging stretch of the Milford Track, featuring a significant climb to the summit of Omanui / McKinnon Pass, followed by a gruelling 1,000m descent into the Arthur Valley. It is the most scenic part of the hike as you finally break out of the rainforest and onto the mountain ridge. On a clear day, the rewards are spectacular views of the Clinton and Arthur Valleys framed by jagged peaks. Unfortunately for us, our crossing unfolded beneath a curtain of steady, soaking rain that rarely let up—a quintessential Fiordland day.

For most, crossing Omanui / McKinnon Pass is objectively the climax of the Milford Track, even though it occurs at the halfway point. At 1,154m, it is the highest point on the trail, serving as the great divide between the Clinton Valley (where you’ve been) and the Arthur Valley (where you’re going) and, ultimately, Milford Sound. For many, the pass is the mental finish line - once you reach the McKinnon Memorial and the Pass Hut, the hardest part of the track is behind you.

We were fed and ready by 07:30, wilfully trading the warmth of the lodge for a full day in the pouring Fiordland rain. Leaving Pompolona Lodge, our first task was crossing the small rivers flowing from the Pariroa / Castle Mount icefields, which were already swollen from a night of heavy falls. While the rain is a constant theme here, it’s exactly what makes Fiordland so special; thousands of ephemeral "lace" waterfalls form on the sheer granite cliffs, a sight you only get to see during a proper storm.

Rain greets the dawn at Pompolona Lodge

Even the locals were taking shelter

Crossing the first of many streams

Looking along the Clinton Canyon towards McKinnon Pass - somewhere in the mists

Water falling from the Castle Mount ice fields high above

The beautiful temporary waterfalls that form when it rains

The forest path leads past Mirror Lake to the foot of the pass, where the "new" Mintaro Hut sits. Rebuilt in 2020 for better rockfall safety, it features three striking pouwhenua (carved pillars) sharing local Ngāi Tahu history. You’ll learn about Tūterakiwhanoa’s craftsmanship in shaping the fiords, Te Ruru’s final touches to the terrain, and Hine-nui-te-pō’s clever creation of the sandfly—her way of making sure no one stays in this beautiful place forever.

The Milford Track heading for McKinnon Pass

Mirror Lake

Te Ruru pouwhenua at Mintaro Hut

Mintaro Hut

As with Clinton Hut, we used Mintaro for a short break and to top up any water bottles using the rainwater tanks, before the serious business of climbing Omanui / McKinnon Pass. Once we had crossed the final swing bridge, the Milford Track begins to leave the Clinton River (our companion for two days) behind as it begins to climb the pass.

Above - McKinnon Pass

Clinton River swing bridge

The final swing bridge across the Clinton River

The Clinton River and cliffs of Mount Balloon

There is a sign at the base of the climb to Omanui / McKinnon Pass

Initially, the track winds through dense beech forest, providing some welcome shelter from the rain. As the trail gains elevation, the vegetation transitions into sub-alpine scrub. This transition is marked by the start of the famous "zig-zags," a series of roughly a dozen long switchbacks designed to mitigate the steepness of the mountain face. They work very well.

Starting our climb over Omanui / McKinnon Pass

Milford Track

We were treated to some views of the Clinton Canyon far below

The Milford Track as the forest opens up

The forest sections are still stunning, especially on a wet day

As the trail nears the 15-mile marker, the treeline thins, offering the first unobstructed views back down the Clinton Canyon and into Nicholas Cirque at the head of the valley. Incredibly, despite there being nine identified peaks around the cirque, only two bear a name - Aiguille Rouge and Mount Hart - such is the profusion of high mountains in the area.

Along this upper section of the Milford Track, you will be more exposed to the region's frequent Alpine weather changes, including the potential for high winds and thick mist. Despite the rain, we actually got some reasonable views of the valley below. The gradient of the track remains steady but you might start to feel the strain of the sustained climb. The final approach to the saddle is more rugged, with the path cutting across open alpine herb fields.

Nicholas Cirque at the head of the Clinton Canyon

Hundreds of unnamed waterfalls in Nicholas Cirque

Nicholas Cirque and the Milford Track

Nicholas Cirque and Clinton Canyon

Clinton Canyon

A final view of the Clinton Canyon and Mintaro Lake

Eventually, you'll spot the McKinnon Memorial either on the horizon, or emerging from the mist. It is located on the pass that sits in a saddle between Mount Hart and the enormous Mount Balloon. Many consider reaching the McKinnon Memorial the emotional climax of the Milford Track for several reasons, ranging from its historical tribute to the effort required to get there.

The McKinnon Memorial

The McKinnon Memorial

The memorial sits on an outcrop on the pass

McKinnon Pass

The McKinnon Memorial is the most significant feature of the pass. It’s a large rock cairn with a plaque that reads “In honour of Quintin Mackinnon, Explorer, who discovered this pass in 1888 and who in 1892 was drowned in Lake Te Anau”. So, who was Quintin McKinnon?

The plaque on the memorial with the incorrect spelling "Mackinnon"

Quintin McPherson McKinnon (1851–1892) was a Scottish-born explorer. He was commissioned in 1888 to find a tourist path from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound and, alongside his companion Ernest Mitchell, McKinnon successfully crossed the alpine saddle that now bears his name. 

Quintin McKinnon

For over a century, a persistent typo on maps and signs saw his name spelled as "Mackinnon," a legacy only corrected in July 2022 when the New Zealand Geographic Board officially adopted the dual name Omanui / McKinnon Pass. This update also honours the area's original history. Long before European "discovery," the pass was a vital Ngāi Tahu Māori trail for transporting pounamu (greenstone). The name Omanui, meaning "the place of great running," perfectly captures the spirit of a landscape.

From the memorial cairn, it’s about a 20-minute push over the high point of the pass to Pass Hut (also known as the McKinnon Pass Shelter). If you’ve been battling Fiordland’s elements all morning, the sight of this hut is easily the most welcome on the entire track. This is actually the fifth version of the shelter to stand here; the previous four were either levelled or completely swept off the ridge by the region's ferocious gales. The current hut is built like a fortress, designed to withstand the 100 km/h+ winds that frequently whip through the saddle

Heading towards the high point of the pass

The signs remind you to keep warm and keep together

Looking back to McKinnon Pass

The highest point of the Milford Track

Pass Hut

The shelter is split into two sections, with separate doors for independent and guided hikers. During the Great Walk season, the independent side offers gas burners—which can be a lifesaver for brewing a hot drink to fight off the alpine chill. Meanwhile, the guided side features a heater that can turn the room into a welcome, albeit damp, sauna on a typical Fiordland day. It’s the perfect spot to duck out of the wind and swap into any spare dry clothing you’ve managed to keep dry in your pack. I'd highly recommend a range of dry bags for just this purpose.

The separate entries for the guided and unguided hikers

Making the most of Pass Hut - basic but welcome on a wet day

After a quick lunch at the shelter and one last visit to the toilets—rightly famous for having some of the best views in the world—we started the long trek down into the Arthur Valley. This is where the real work begins. The descent is notoriously hard on the knees, as you’re dropping nearly twice the elevation you just climbed in roughly the same distance. The beginning is particularly steep in places.

Beginning the steep descent into the Arthur Valley

The steep cliffs of the Arthur Valley

The Milford Track makes its way below the cliffs of Mount Balloon

The track hugs the side of Mount Balloon—a peak that towers 1,250m above the canyon floor—as it descends before dropping into the rocky valley of Roaring Burn, a river that easily lives up to its name. Like much of the trail, this is complex avalanche territory; the Emergency Track was still in use for our hike. It provides a vital shortcut around a stretch of the main trail that sits directly beneath the Jervois Glacier, offering a safer, albeit significantly steeper, path that avoids the potential glacial debris.

Re-entering the forest - temperate rainforest this time

Roaring Burn

Roaring Burn living up to its name

Re-joining the Milford Track

The Emergency Track and Milford Track re-join at the top of Andersons Cascades, an incredible series of slots, chutes and waterfalls that tumble down the mountainside. At the very top of the cascades is Maureen Falls, which was absolutely pumping in the heavy rain.

The descent remains steep

Maureen Falls

Maureen Falls

What follows is a beautiful descent alongside Andersons Cascade, following a series of wooden staircases built beside the waterfalls. The cascades were named after William "Bill" Anderson who was a true Fiordland legend. After a lifetime of farming, he and his wife May moved to the remote Quintin Hut in 1950 where Bill became far more than just a warden—he was the track’s unofficial guardian and historian, probing for new or improved routes and upgrading many of Quintin Huts facilities. He’s famously remembered for the feat of hauling a piano from Milford Sound to the hut just to bring some music to the wilderness.

The beautiful descent alongside Andersons Cascade

Andersons Cascade

Andersons Cascade

Andersons Cascade

Andersons Cascade

Andersons Cascade

Andersons Cascade

The bottom of the cascades

At the foot of the cascades is another shelter, the final one before reaching Quintin Lodge. The shelter is very basic but is covered and has a rudimentary toilet.

Andersons Cascade shelter

After leaving the shelter, there is still 400m of descent to go, most of it winding through deep rainforest toward the Arthur River. This side of Omanui / Mackinnon Pass has noticeably different vegetation compared to the Clinton Valley; it’s a true temperate rainforest—denser, mossier, and far more humid. The forest floor is a thick sponge of kidney ferns and liverworts that stays damp even during rare dry spells. This is largely because the valley receives up to 3m more rain annually than the Clinton side. 

Swing bridge after Andersons Cascade Shelter

A rocky creek descending from Mount Elliot

Parts of the descent are particularly dramatic

19 mile marker

Milford Track

A distant Dudleigh Falls

20 mile marker

Lindsay Falls

Roaring Burn swing bridge

Roaring Burn

Finally, the descent levels out at you reach Quintin Lodge, the end of the third day on the Milford Track. Nestled at the confluence of the Roaring Burn and the Arthur River, the lodge sits in a deep, glacial basin that feels almost entirely cut off from the outside world. It's a historic site has been a fixture of the track since the late 1800s. While the modern lodge is a private sanctuary for guided hikers—complete with hot showers—it serves as a crucial waypoint for everyone.

Quintin Lodge in the dramatic Arthur Valley

Quintin Lodge

Quintin Lodge

The third day on the Milford Track doesn’t end just yet; there is also an optional side trip to Sutherland Falls, New Zealand’s tallest waterfall. While you don't have to do it, I strongly urge you to go—the 90-minute return hike is well worth the effort. Best of all, you can leave your pack at the lodge or the day-use area and tackle the route unburdened. It's 5 km in total, with 181m of ascent.

The Sutherland Falls Track starts from Quintin Lodge

Sutherland Falls Track

The hike can be broken into three parts; a short, flat section from Quintin Hut, crossing the first of two swing bridges. Then a fairly steep climb up a series of ramps and steps, followed by a more gentle incline from the second swing bridge to Sutherland Falls. If you don't want to do the entire trek, you'll see Sutherland Falls from the second bridge, or, as you depart Quintin Lodge on day 4.

The first swing bridge across Staircase Creek

Staircase Creek

Sutherland Falls Track

Steps help you up some of the steeper sections

The second swing bridge has a fine view of the waterfall

As you approach the waterfall, there is a sign noting its height; 580m. The sign is located 580m from the falls, giving you a sense of just how tall they are as you approach them. They remain well hidden right up to the point you emerge at their base.

Approaching the waterfall

Sutherland Falls Track

Sutherland Falls

This sign indicates the height of the falls relative to the track

The falls remain well hidden

For a big waterfall, Sutherland Falls has a very small plunge pool that you can stand right next to, embracing the full force of the falls. Given the wet day we'd had, the waterfall was in full voice, throwing up clouds of spray as the water tumbles down three distinct tiers; the upper tier falls 229m, the middle tier 250m while the lower tier is a mere 103m. They are named after Donald Sutherland, the explorer who first documented them in 1880 while prospecting for gold. He is ultimately responsible for the Milford Track as we know it today, having been contracted to create a track from Milford Sound to Sutherland Falls.

Sutherland Falls

The top two tiers of the waterfall

Sutherland Falls

The lower tier of Sutherland Falls

Sutherland Falls' plunge pool

Sutherland Falls and some guy

The waterfall is fed by Lake Quill, an enormous glacial tarn perched in a hanging valley high above. The lake itself is named after William Quill, a daring explorer who, in 1890, became the first person known to scale the near-vertical rock wall beside the falls, equipped with little more than determination.

Once thoroughly soaked once again, I made my way along the track to Quintin Lodge. All in all, it’s a 21 km day with around 1,000m of ascent. Whether you get the postcard views or, like us, experience a classic Fiordland "soaker" where the very trail itself turns into a stream, this is the day that defines the Milford Track - the one that most people regard as the most challenging and the most memorable.

The rain finally relents, leaving a gorgeous pink sunset

Dumpling Hill and the mist-shrouded mountains

With Day 3 and crossing the pass behind us, the really hard work is done. What lies ahead is a long but rewarding final day, following the Arthur River for 22 km to Sandfly Point. For now, it’s time to grab some well-earned sleep at the magnificent Quintin Lodge, tucked away in the very heart of the mountains. We've even been promised some sun for tomorrow, which will be a very welcome change.