User:Kiwisailor/Queen Charlotte Track

The track passes through many landscapes of the Fiordland National Park ranging from rocky mountain ridges to tall mossy forests, from lake shores to deep gorges. Like the mountains it traverses, the track is named after Johannes Kepler. The track is administered by New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC).

Compared with other tracks in New Zealand, this walking track is constructed to a very high standard. Most streams are bridged, boardwalks cover boggy areas and the very steep sections have steps. It is a moderate walking track that takes three to four days to complete.

Tramping
The track is usually recommended to be walked in this route from the Lake Te Anau Control Gates. It can be walked in either direction. If time is short, the track can be shortened to three days by exiting or entering at the Rainbow Reach swing bridge using a car or bus.

The Lake Te Anau Control Gates are approximately 4.6 km from the DOC visitors centre in Te Anau. The DOC provides very conservative estimates on the hiking time from point to point on the track, and experienced hikers may cover quoted distances in half of the recommended time.

Location
The Kepler Track is located in the south west of the South Island. The nearest townships of Te Anau (4.6 km away) and Manapouri have a full range of accommodation and shops catering to all tramping needs.

The Kepler Track is accessed from the Lake Te Anau Control Gates, either by road or a 50-minute walk from the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre in Te Anau, or over the swingbridge across the Waiau River at Rainbow Reach, a ten minute (12 km) drive from Te Anau.

Shuttle buses also operate during the summer months to entry and exit points on the track and a scheduled boat service provides access to Brod Bay.

History
Many tracks in New Zealand have evolved from Māori trails or pioneer exploration routes. The Kepler track however was established in 1988 and opened in February of that year as a Great Walk as part of the Fiordland National Park Centennial celebrations. Funding came from New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department. It was designed to ease the strain on the popular Milford and Routeburn Tracks. The track had a considerable contribution from the International Expedition Operation Raleigh during 1986/87, when expeditioners from around the world constructed much of the walkways and the Iris Burn and Mount Luxmore huts.

The caves at Mt Luxmore were also mapped and Mount Raleigh was named above the Iris Burn.