Lake Rere
Lake Rere is a fantastic and varied circular route starting from the Greenstone car park
Difficulty: MODERATE
Time: 4-5 hours (loop)
Taking the loop clockwise, cross the bridge and follow the marked route across Greenstone Station’s open paddocks for an hour to the crystal clear waters at Elfin Bay. A gentle climb through red beech forest eases before reaching picturesque Lake Rere (running water), a popular tourist destination in the late 19th century.
Take a picnic and lunch on the shores of the lake, take pictures of the mirror reflections or simply sit and listen to the calls of the Korimakos (Bell Birds), Piwakawakas (Fantails) and South Island Robins. A small number of well conditioned brown trout, which can exhibit spectacular golden brown colouration patterns, can be found in the lake for those keen on fishing.
Pockets of mountain beech and grassland lead you to a second bridge and a brief climb to join the Greenstone Track for the second half of your walk. The Lake Rere track offers ample opportunity for photography and bird watching.
We advise doing the track clockwise as you may miss the turn off if you start on the Greenstone track.