Wanaka hikes are some of the best in the world, but it also means that some can be busy and crowded.
We didn’t have enough time to do multiple Wanaka hikes, so instead of taking the popular track to Roy’s Peak and waiting in a line at the summit to take a photo (not necessarily our style, but it DOES look gorgeous up there!), we chose to hike Diamond Lake Rocky Mountain track instead.
Diamond Lake Rocky Mountain track is right in the same area, has WAY less people, but very similar, incredible views!
Wanaka Hikes – Diamond Lake | Rocky Mountain
There’s three main lookout points on the Diamond Lake Rocky Mountain Track. Choose a route based on your time and skill level.
Diamond Lake Lookout: 1 hour round trip, Easy – Medium
Lake Wanaka Lookout: 2 hours round trip, Medium – Difficult
Rocky Mountain Summit: 3 hours round trip, Difficult
Diamond Lake Lookout
It takes 45 minutes to get from the parking lot to Diamond Lake. Definitely take the additional 15 minutes to hike up to the Diamond Lake Lookout – you won’t regret it! It’s an easy hike to get to Diamond Lake but definitely gets steep once you pass it and make your way to the lookout.
Lake Wanaka Lookout
Once you pass the Diamond Lake Lookout, stay on the Eastern Track and follow signs to the Lake Wanaka Lookout. It takes about 20-30 minutes to get there and is a diversion off the summit track, but again, I HIGHLY recommend it. It gives you insane views of Lake Wanaka and is a great resting point.
Eastern Track
Again, stay on the Eastern track once you hit another fork in the road. We recommend the Eastern track on the way up because it’s open and gives you great views of Wanaka so you can see how high you’re getting as you go. The Western Track is more on the back side of the mountain and has (still gorgeous) but less-stunning views than the Eastern Track.
Rocky Mountain Summit
Rocky Mountain Summit is jaw-dropping. It’s not a huge area, but offers 360 degree views of Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountain ranges. We only had two other people at the summit with us at mid-day. Amazing. We took some photos, ate a snack, and pinched ourselves at the beautiful view.
Western Track
We chose the Western Track on the way down. The mountain ranges are visible sooner on this side, but we both still decided we liked the Eastern Track better. It’s also a lot more rocky once you get closer to the bottom, so if you’re not a fan of that I would just stick to the Eastern Track!
After lots of searching for Wanaka hikes that could be done in a few hours, we’re SO glad we chose Diamond Lake Rocky Mountain. A great choose-your-own-adventure hike!
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