Milford Road is a truly epic road in New Zealand
New Zealand, oceania
118 km
1,280 m
extreme
Year-round
Get ready for the Milford Road, an absolutely stunning drive slicing through South West New Zealand from Te Anau to Milford Sound!
This paved beauty, part of State Highway 94, carves its way for 118km through Fiordland National Park, a chunk of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area. Seriously, this is wilderness on steroids.
Construction took ages, starting in 1929 during the Great Depression and finally wrapping up in 1953 (with a little break for WWII).
Budget about 1.5 to 2 hours for the drive, but pro tip: triple that. You'll be stopping every five minutes to gawk! Think Mirror Lakes perfectly reflecting the Earl Mountains, the cascading waterfalls of the Cleddau River, and the mind-bending Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain. Lord of the Rings vibes are strong here, with mighty cliffs, snow-capped peaks, and fern trees doing their gravity-defying thing. This is the *only* road to Milford Sound, a must-see.
Don't miss the Homer Tunnel, a 1,270-meter-long feat of engineering carved straight through solid granite!
Clocking in at 940 meters above sea level at its highest point, this is one of the highest highways in New Zealand. Winter can be wild, with snow a real possibility. Chains are a must between June and November (and legally required!). Even in summer, snow can fall on the higher parts. Avalanches can be a threat in winter, too.
This is remote territory, so fill up the gas tank in Te Anau (limited fuel is available at Gunns Camp and Milford Sound). Keep your wits about you, as the injury crash rates are a bit higher than average in New Zealand. Landslips, treefalls, and washouts can happen anytime, causing closures. Flooding can also happen, especially near rivers.
Where is it?
Milford Road is a truly epic road in New Zealand is located in New Zealand (oceania). Coordinates: -42.0857, 174.0958
Road Details
- Country
- New Zealand
- Continent
- oceania
- Length
- 118 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,280 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- -42.0857, 174.0958
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