Most people driving from Wanaka towards Haast see Lake Hawea for about ninety seconds, from the lookout on the saddle, before the road drops back down and their attention returns to the glacier country ahead. That’s a mistake, or at least an incomplete trip. Lake Hawea is the quieter of the two lakes that sit side by side north of Wanaka township, separated by a narrow strip of land known as the Neck, and it rewards more than a photo stop: a deeper lake, a genuinely good fishery, a flat cycling trail that doesn’t exist on the Wanaka side, and campgrounds that are noticeably cheaper in January than anything on Lake Wanaka’s shoreline.
Deeper, colder, and quieter than its famous neighbour
Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka look, from a map, like they should be twins. They’re not quite. Hawea is the deeper of the two, cut by the same glacial processes but left with a steeper, more enclosed basin, and it carries a distinctly saturated blue that photographers who’ve shot both lakes tend to prefer, particularly in the low light of early morning.
It’s also considerably less developed. Wanaka township has grown into a genuine town with a supermarket, an airport, and a summer population that swells the lakefront every day of the school holidays. Lake Hawea township, on the lake’s southern shore, is a scatter of holiday homes, one general store, a holiday park, and a boat ramp. That imbalance is exactly why it’s worth the extra fifteen minutes of driving.
Where it sits, and how to get there
Lake Hawea township sits on the lake’s southern shore, about 15 kilometres north of Wanaka along State Highway 6, the same road that continues on towards Makarora and the Haast Pass. From Queenstown, the standard route runs via Cardrona and the Crown Range — New Zealand’s highest sealed road, at 1,121 metres — into Wanaka, then north along the lakefront to Hawea.
Budget 70 kilometres and about an hour to Wanaka, then another 15 kilometres and roughly fifteen minutes on to the Hawea turn-off, for a total of around 1h15 to 1h30 depending on traffic and how many times you stop for photos on the Crown Range. The alternative route via Cromwell adds distance but avoids the Crown Range’s hairpins and its winter chain requirement; see our guide on driving from Queenstown to Wanaka for the full comparison. There’s no petrol station in Lake Hawea township, so fill up in Wanaka or Cromwell before heading out, and check our notes on driving in the South Island if this is a first New Zealand road trip.
The Neck: the lookout that explains both lakes
The single most useful stop on this stretch of road is the Neck, the narrow saddle of land — roughly a kilometre wide — that separates Lake Hawea from Lake Wanaka. State Highway 6 climbs over it between the two townships, and there’s a formal lookout with parking on the Hawea side that gives a genuine “aha” moment: two large lakes, both glacially carved, sitting almost touching, divided by what geologically amounts to very little. It’s a five-minute stop, it’s free, and it’s the best single vantage point for understanding why these two lakes are so often mentioned in the same breath. Go in the late afternoon if you can; the light comes in low across Hawea and picks up the colour that makes people stop the car in the first place.
Why the colour changes, and why the beaches disappear
Lake Hawea’s water carries the same glacial-blue quality as most Otago lakes, but it’s worth knowing that the lake itself is not entirely natural in its current form. In the late 1950s its outlet was controlled and its level raised by roughly 20 metres as part of the hydroelectric scheme that regulates flow down the Clutha River system towards the Roxburgh dam further south. That’s a substantial change for a lake this size, and it has a practical consequence that catches visitors out: the lake’s level isn’t fixed.
It’s managed for power generation and storage, and it can sit noticeably higher or lower depending on the season and on how much water the scheme needs to hold back or release. The beaches you see in a photo taken in February might be twenty or thirty metres of shingle wider or narrower than what you find in October. If you’re planning to camp on the lakeshore or launch a boat from a particular spot, don’t assume last year’s photo matches this year’s waterline — ask locally or check current levels before you commit to a plan built around a specific beach.
Fishing Lake Hawea
Anglers rate Lake Hawea highly, and for a reason that’s slightly unusual in New Zealand: alongside brown and rainbow trout, it holds a landlocked population of quinnat (chinook) salmon, a fishery that exists in only a small number of South Island lakes. Trolling and jigging from a boat are the standard methods for the salmon and the larger trout, while the lake’s edges and the Hawea River mouth produce good fly fishing, particularly around dawn and dusk in summer and autumn.
A New Zealand fishing licence is required and is not included in any tour or rental — buy one in advance through Fish & Game if you’re planning to fish rather than assuming you can sort it out lakeside. Our guide to fly fishing the southern lakes covers licensing, guided options, and how Hawea compares with the Wanaka and Cardrona rivers nearby.
The Hawea River Track: cycling from the lake to the Clutha
The Hawea River Track is the practical reason to bring a bike here rather than just a camera. It follows the true right bank of the Hawea River — the short, fast-flowing outlet that drains the lake — from the township down to the river’s confluence with the Clutha near Albert Town, a ride of around 6 kilometres one way on flat, well-formed gravel that suits road bikes with reasonably wide tyres as well as mountain bikes and e-bikes. From Albert Town it connects into the wider Upper Clutha trail network, giving riders a route through to Wanaka without touching the highway.
It’s an easy, low-stakes ride compared with the mountain trails around Queenstown, which makes it a good option for families or for anyone wanting scenery without technical difficulty. Pack your own bike or hire one in Wanaka, since Lake Hawea township itself has no bike hire outlet. For context on how this trail fits into the region’s other rides, see our guides to cycling the Queenstown Trail and the Lake Dunstan Trail further north near Cromwell.
Camping and staying at Lake Hawea
This is where Lake Hawea earns its keep against Wanaka and Queenstown on price. The Department of Conservation runs a basic campsite at Kidds Bush on the lake’s western shore, reached by unsealed road, with no power and only vault toilets — the trade-off for a lakefront site at a fraction of a powered site’s cost elsewhere. In the township itself, a holiday park offers powered and unpowered sites plus cabins, and there are designated freedom camping areas nearby for certified self-contained vehicles, though these fill early in the peak of summer and rules do change, so check current signage and the local council’s freedom camping map rather than relying on last season’s information.
| Option | Type | Approx. cost (NZD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidds Bush (DOC) | Basic lakefront campsite | $10–15 per adult, per night | No power, vault toilets, unsealed access road |
| Lake Hawea Holiday Park | Powered/unpowered sites, cabins | $25–50 per site, per night | Closest facilities, short walk to the lake |
| Freedom camping areas | Self-contained vehicles only | Free–$15 | Limited spaces, subject to local bylaws |
| Wanaka holiday parks | Powered sites, cabins, motels | $45–90+ per site or room | 15 km south, far more choice and higher demand |
Staying at Hawea rather than Wanaka in the peak of summer can genuinely save money and secure you a site when Wanaka’s are booked out, at the cost of a shorter shopping list and a fifteen-minute drive for groceries or a proper meal out.
What to actually do with a half-day here
A realistic half-day plan: stop at the Neck lookout on the way in, drop down into Lake Hawea township, walk or ride a stretch of the Hawea River Track, and finish with a swim or a paddle from the township beach if the water and weather cooperate — Otago lake water is cold even in summer, so a short dip rather than a long swim is the norm. Anglers will want a full day rather than a stopover, ideally with a guide who knows current conditions on the salmon.
If you’re basing yourself in Wanaka for a few nights rather than staying at Hawea itself, a paddle on the neighbouring lake is the closest bookable option to a lake experience in this area — a guided kayak tour on Lake Wanaka covers similar glacial-lake scenery with an instructor and gear included. An evening happy hour cruise on Lake Wanaka is a straightforward way to see the water from a boat without arranging your own.
Travellers continuing north towards Makarora and the West Coast can extend the day with the Blue Pools day walk near Makarora, about forty minutes further up SH6 from Hawea — a short, well-formed track to a genuinely turquoise glacial pool.
For a wider view of the Hawea–Wanaka basin and the mountains behind Mount Aspiring, a scenic flight departing Wanaka, such as the Heli Siberia flight, hike and jet boat combination, will usually track over or near both lakes on the way to and from the alpine country — worth asking about the flight path when booking if seeing Hawea from the air matters to you. None of these tours depart from Lake Hawea township itself; they’re based in Wanaka, which is the practical booking point for this area.
Lake Hawea versus Wanaka, honestly
| Lake Hawea | Lake Wanaka | |
|---|---|---|
| Crowds | Low, even in peak summer | High in Dec–Feb, especially the lakefront |
| Facilities | One store, a holiday park | Full township: supermarket, airport, cafés |
| Camping cost | Cheaper, including a DOC site | Higher demand, books out early |
| Cycling | Flat Hawea River Track | Bigger trail network, more variety |
| Boat tours and hire | None based locally | Cruises, kayaking, water taxis all depart here |
| Best for | Fishing, cycling, quiet, camping | Everything else — food, activities, choice |
The honest summary: Wanaka is the better base for most travellers because it has the infrastructure Hawea lacks, but a half-day or an overnight at Hawea is one of the easier ways to get a genuinely quiet lake experience in a region that, in the middle of summer, doesn’t have many of those left. See how many days to allow in the wider Queenstown region if you’re trying to fit Hawea into a longer South Island itinerary, and check seasonal conditions before a winter visit, since the Crown Range can require chains and Hawea’s own facilities scale right back outside summer.
Lake Hawea: questions worth asking before you go
Is Lake Hawea worth visiting if I’ve already seen Lake Wanaka?
Yes, if you have the time. It’s a different experience rather than a repeat: deeper water, a stronger blue in the right light, almost no crowds, and activities — fishing and the river cycling trail — that Wanaka’s lakefront doesn’t really offer in the same low-key way.
Why does Lake Hawea’s water level change so much?
The lake’s outlet was dammed and its level raised by around 20 metres in the late 1950s as part of the hydroelectric scheme controlling water flow down the Clutha River. Because the lake is used for storage and flow management, its level moves with the season and with the scheme’s operational needs, and its beaches widen or narrow accordingly.
Can you swim in Lake Hawea?
Yes, from the township beach and from several points along the shore, though like all the Otago lakes the water stays cold even in the height of summer. A short swim rather than a long one is the norm, and conditions are best on calm, warm afternoons in December through February.
Is Lake Hawea good for fishing?
Yes — it’s known for brown and rainbow trout and for a landlocked population of quinnat salmon, an unusual fishery for a New Zealand lake. A Fish & Game licence is required and isn’t included with any boat hire or tour.
How do you get from Queenstown to Lake Hawea?
Drive via Cardrona and the Crown Range to Wanaka (about an hour), then north along State Highway 6 for a further 15 kilometres to Lake Hawea township, roughly fifteen minutes more. Total driving time is about 1h15 to 1h30. The Crown Range requires chains in winter conditions, and most rental car contracts require you to carry them.
Is there camping at Lake Hawea?
Yes, at several levels of comfort: a basic Department of Conservation site at Kidds Bush on the western shore, a holiday park in the township with powered sites and cabins, and designated freedom camping areas for certified self-contained vehicles, subject to local rules that can change.
What is the Hawea River Track like for cycling?
It’s a flat, well-formed gravel trail running around 6 kilometres from the lake outlet at the township down to the Hawea River’s confluence with the Clutha near Albert Town, where it connects into the wider Upper Clutha trail network towards Wanaka. It suits families, e-bikes, and riders wanting scenery without technical difficulty.
