Deep Stream Track near Lake Aviemore

The Deep Stream Track was the first walk I have completed without doing any research in particular.  We came across the track travelling on the scenic drive around Lake Aviemore and the unassuming track was just signposted on the side of the road.  There is no estimate of duration or length, just a sign leading the most beautiful green “deep stream” in the canyon. It is the epitomy of hidden gems and was my favourite short walk in Waitaki. 

Deep Stream is not a trickling of water.  It looks like a river, carving its way beneath the rugged rock and the walk here is just beautiful.  The narrow track saddles along the cliff edge, but it is safe for kids. No rails, but I didn’t feel like they were at risk of falling off.  The biggest hazard was the dry gravel path which they slid down a couple of times. But that is not uncommon on a bush track in the summer.

There were some awesome boulders along the way and I loved the way the water glistened in the sunshine.  The deep green water was just beautiful and looked particularly inviting on a warm summer’s day.

The perfect picnic spot

20 minutes into the walk, there is a picnic table overlooking the water.  The track is well formed until here, then after this, it was a much narrower track with prickly brambles to brush past and it was quite unkept.  Another 10 minutes on from here we found a lovely spot under the shade of the trees to have a snack and swim in the river. 

Safe shallow swimming spot

I say swim, it was freezing, so the kids stripped off and walked to the “island” on the other side of the stream.  The water was knee deep when they walked in from the shore, but only calf deep in the middle. It was a great place for the kids to play safely, without having to get in myself.  It was also lovely to have some shade as the rest of the walk is all exposed to the sun (and wind)

We did continue on for another 5-10 minutes from this point, but ended up turning around as the track became less defined and the brambles were getting worse.  It just didn’t seem worth it to continue. I’m not exactly sure how much further the track was supposed to go, or if we were venturing into the unknown. But we decided that we had seen enough.  I think if you stopped at the Deep Stream picnic table or even at the swimming stream, it would still be such an enjoyable walk.

As we walked out, we say some kayakers paddling and kayak fishing.  The water was so sheltered from the tall cliffs around it, so even though it was windy on Lake Aviemore next door, the water was calm and tranquil for kayakers.  So if you had a kayak of your own, it would be such a cool place to paddle and I bet you would have it to yourself too.

How long does the Deep Stream Walkway take?

The Deep Stream Walkway took 20 minutes to walk to the picnic table viewpoint and 30 minutes to walk to the riverslide glade under the trees.  

As mentioned above, we never made it to the end of the track, and it looked like it went quite a bit further inland, so if you are up for a bush adventure, there is more walk in it for you.

How to get to the Deep Stream Walkway

Deep Stream Walking Track is on Te Akatarawa Road, just a few minutes down the road, after you cross the Aviemore Dam and turn left (Assuming you are driving down State Highway 83 between Omarama and Kurow)  Google Maps doesn’t know where it is yet, but if you turn on the satellite on Google Maps, Deep Stream is marked. The GPS coordinates, just in case are -44.645158, 170.350610.  It is on the right hand side of the road (opposite the lake going inland)  There is a small sign, but you could miss it if you aren’t looking for it.  You go over a small bridge and you can see the water on your right.

There is a small pull off area for 2-3 cars on the lakeside of the road.  After the walk, you can continue on this road towards Benmore Dam, or find a good swimming spot of the side of Lake Aviemore. 

This off the beaten path walk was one of my favourite walks in the Waitaki Region.  If you are looking more awesome things to do near here, try out these ideas below

• Omarama Clay Cliffs: slot canyon to explore
• Elephant Rocks: awesome place for the kids to climb
• Anatini: Chronicles of Narnia film location
• Kurow Hill Walkway: 60-80 minute return steep hill walk with views
• More things to do in Lake Benmore and Lake Aviemore area