Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town located beside the banks of the Arrow River, a short 20 minute drive from Queenstown.
The quiet location, quaint architecture and beautiful scenery make Arrowtown a popular destination for a change of pace from bustling Queenstown.
Rich in history and culture, there are lots of fun things to do in this charming little town. You can choose from a variety of wonderful eateries to dine at and there is a vast network of trails and nature walks.
You can even try your luck at gold panning in the Arrow River.
Autumn in Arrowtown is especially beautiful when cottonwoods blanketing the surrounding hills and the deciduous trees around town put on a brilliant display of colour.
Here, I’m sharing the 10 best places to see the autumn colours in Arrowtown.
Best Time to Visit
The autumn season officially runs from March to May with temperatures ranging between 5-20℃ (40-68 ℉). The best time to see autumn leaves in Arrowtown is late April to early May, when the colours are usually at their peak.
In our experience, it is worth going to Arrowtown in any season, but autumn is the best time of year to visit when the surrounding mountains are blanketed in red and golden hues.
In fact, it is one of the best places in New Zealand and the Central Otago Region to experience the fall colours.
Although a popular time of year for artists and photographers, autumn is generally a quieter time to visit when the peak season of summer has ended and the winter ski season hasn’t yet started.
Arrowtown is also home to the Arrowtown Autumn Festival, an iconic community event that takes place at the end of April each year. It’s a five to six day affair with food, wine, entertainment, sporting events, arts, crafts and a parade to celebrate the end of summer and the coming of the autumn colours.
How Long Do You Need in Arrowtown
You may be wondering how long you need in Arrowtown. We recommend spending a half day at a minimum if you simply want to check out the main town centre, maybe visit the Chinese Historic Settlement and grab a bite to eat.
If you are keen to explore the surrounding trails, go on a nature walk or hike then a full day would be best.
Many visitors stay in Queenstown and will visit Arrowtown as a day trip, but if you prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of Arrowtown perhaps you would prefer to spend a night or two here.
We’ve put together the best places to stay in Arrowtown to help with choosing where to stay.
Nine of the places we share below can be seen in a day, one of the places requires a full day’s walk to get there and back. An overnight stay is recommended if you would like to see all 10 places on our list.
It’s easy to mix and match the options based on your preferences and the time you have.
How to Get There
Arrowtown is a 20 minute drive from Queenstown and 15 minutes from Queenstown International Airport. The best way to get to Arrowtown is to self drive although there is a bus that runs between Queenstown and Arrowtown.
Another option is to join a tour from Queenstown. There are several tour operators to choose from with different options for how long you want to spend in Arrowtown, from a few hours to full day tours.
Best Places to See Colours of Autumn in Arrowtown
1. Buckingham Street
The main drag is Buckingham Street and it has such a vibe. Boutiques, offices and cafes occupy the historic buildings left from the gold rush era that feels like you’ve been transported back in time. The hills peaking over the quaint shops lining the street explode with colour creating a stunning backdrop.
Perhaps you’d enjoy a leisurely stroll along Buckingham Street. There are some great shops where you can find unique New Zealand items, perfect for souvenirs.
Warm up with a mug of hot chocolate from Patagonia Chocolates, it’s delicious!
If you’re interested in learning about Arrowtown’s history, you might enjoy a visit to the Historic Chinese Settlement located at the very end of Buckingham Street near Butler’s Green. Or visiting the Lakes District Museum & Gallery located at 49 Buckingham Street.
2. Avenue of Trees
At the opposite end of Buckingham Street from the Chinese Settlement, on the corner of Buckingham Street and Wiltshire Streets is where you will find the start of the Avenue of Trees.
When Arrowtown was first settled during the gold rush era of the 1860s the land was barren. Many of the early townspeople came from England and Ireland where trees were prominent.
One of these residents, Alexander Innes, sought out trees of the English varieties including Oaks, Elms, Sycamores and Ashes that over the next ten years were planted along Buckingham, Berkshire and Bedfords Streets, creating these avenue of trees that ignite with colour in the autumn months.
This is also the start of the Buckingham Street historic area where you will see a row of seven cottages that were inhabited by miners at the time. Provisions of Arrowtown now occupies one of these historic cottages and a great place to have brunch.
3. Historic Police Camp
The Historic Police Camp is located across from Butlers Green in the Bush Creek Recreation Reserve at the bottom of Buckingham Street. It’s a popular place with local photographers especially in autumn when the deciduous forest creates a colourful backdrop against the rustic cabin.
There are many buildings in Arrowtown preserved from the gold rush era of the 1860s. The Police Camp was built in 1863 and is Arrowtown’s oldest surviving timber building. It was originally located on Cardigan Street and moved to its current location in 1991.
The structure was restored and in 2019 opened as an information site educating visitors on the flora and fauna that inhabits the space behind the village.
A carpark surrounds the Police Camp so the best time for photos is sunrise when there is less chance of cars being parked in front.
4. Wilcox Green
Wilcox Green is a park along the Arrow River, surrounded by hills that come to life with the colours of autumn. You can find the entrance to the park along Nairn Street.
It’s a popular place for locals to walk, run or walk their dogs. The Tobins Tracks runs along the side of the park which is a 6.6 kilometre (4.1 mile) out and back trail. It’s a short but steep track with spectacular views over Arrowtown and the Wakatipu Basin at the top.
Several festivals are held on the grounds of Wilcox Green including the International Gin festival in late March and it’s the starting point for the Autumn Festival parade in late April.
5. Arrow River Trail
The Arrow River Trail is an easy 4.2 kilometre (2.6 mile) track that takes you above the Arrow River through a scenic forest. The trail follows the Arrow River and irrigation pipeline much of the way that you’ll see to your right.
There are some beautiful viewpoints along the way looking over the colour filled valleys below, and you’ll even cross a small waterfall.
To find the Arrow River Trail, head to Butlers Green (there is a large car park there) and look for the trail’s notice board. The notice board shows all the trail maps for the area including the Arrow River Trail.
From the notice board, head left and cross the footbridge over Bush Creek, then turn right and follow the track as it curves to the left until it crosses the pipeline.
You’ll eventually reach the Norman Smith Footbridge, then continuing up the hill, meets with the road to Macetown (more on this later).
There isn’t a clear marker that says this is the end of the trail so either of these points are a good place to turn around and retrace your steps back to Butlers Green.
If you have the energy to walk the extra 15 minutes up the hill past the footbridge the views are worth it.
All up it should take you about an hour to complete. If you only have a few hours in Arrowtown this trail is a good option for great views without too much effort or time required.
6. Sawpit Gully Trail
If you have more time and are keen for a bigger challenge, you can combine the Arrow River Trail with the Sawpit Gully track which loops back to Butlers Green. Between the waterfall and the Norman Smith Footbridge you’ll see the turnoff to the Sawpit Gully track.
The full track is a 7.9 kilometre (4.9 mile) loop trail. It is rated as moderately difficult and should take around 90 minutes to get back to Butlers Green from here (2 to 3 hours all up including the Arrow River Trail).
There is a short scramble over rocks right at the turn off and a short walk along a narrow path with a steep drop off to the left. The trail gets steeper as you climb into the gully.
You pass over a couple of creeks, along ridges, through beech forest and over tussock covered slopes before the climb out of the Sawpit Gully. Keep an eye out for the remains from the gold mining era along the way.
The Sawpit Gully trail is one of the most varied hikes I’ve experienced in terms of terrain and scenery, earning a spot as one of my favourite hikes in the area. The views over colourful valleys, Lake Hayes and the Wakatipu Basin are spectacular.
7. Macetown
Macetown was once a settlement for gold miners during the gold rush era.
First settled in the 1860s when gold was discovered near the Arrow River, it’s now an uninhabited historic reserve and a popular area for tourists to visit given its interesting history and beautiful landscape.
Access to the town is via a 15 kilometre (9 mile) gravel road that follows the Arrow River and heads up the steep-sided Arrow gorge. The road crosses the river numerous times and should take you around 3 to 4 hours each way to walk, or you can hire a mountain bike. Either way it’s a whole day affair. Don’t forget you’ll have the same distance to cover to get back to Arrowtown.
Alternatively, you can you turn it into an overnight adventure and camp at Macetown Campsite.
Given the river crossings, this trail shouldn’t be used when the river is high or if there has been a lot of rainfall.
There are many historic landmarks along this road. If you are interested in learning the history of Macetown along the way, you can purchase a small booklet called ‘Macetown and the Arrow Gorge’ from the Lakes District Museum before you head off. The book pinpoints and describes the historic features you’ll pass along the way.
8. Millbrook Resort
Millbrook was once a wheat farm established by two brothers to feed the miners during the gold rush in the 1860s. Today, Millbrook is a 5-star resort set on 650 acres on an idyllic landscape of rolling green fairways framed by the Remarkables Mountain Range.
Millbrook’s restored buildings, farm machinery and the avenue of trees retains the rustic charm of the farm from all those years ago. In autumn, the avenue of trees lining the main entrance turns into a golden canopy that will leave you in awe.
Millbrook Resort is a two minute drive or 15 minute walk from the centre of Arrowtown via Malaghans Road or you can walk via the new Manse Road Walkway.
9. Manse Road Walkway
The Manse Road Walkway is an easy walking path that runs along the side of Manse Road, connecting Millbrook Resort to Arrowtown. It’s less than a kilometre (about half a mile) long and takes only 20 minutes each way.
Although a short walk, you’ll have a chance to take in the deciduous trees showing off their red and golden leaves along the way, before reaching Millbrook and its beautiful tree-lined main entrance.
For a longer walk, you can divert off the trail through the Chinese Village to connect with Arrowtown Millennium Walkway and Bush Creek.
10. Lake Hayes
Lakes Hayes is a beautiful and tranquil lake located just a 10 minute drive from Arrowtown. There’s an easy walking track that is an 8 km (5 mile) loop around the perimeter of the lake and will take about 2-3 hours to complete.
Alternatively, you can rent an electric bike to ride around the lake. The Lake Hayes Loop via Millbrook trail is a self guided bike tour that starts in Arrowtown and takes you around the Lake Hayes Loop before heading back to Arrowtown.
Lake Hayes is enjoyable to visit in any season. In autumn, the lake is surrounded by beautiful golden hues providing especially beautiful photo opportunities!
We also really like this Valley of the Vines Bike Tour from Arrowtown where you can bike between Arrowtown and Gibbston Valley exploring the autumn landscapes, bridges and rivers along the way.
Tips for Visiting Arrowtown in Autumn
To help you make the most of your trip, here are a few tips for visiting Arrowtown in autumn.
- With temperatures ranging between 5-20℃ (40-68 ℉), it’s best to bring warm layers for the cooler mornings and evenings that you can adjust for the warmer part of the day, especially if you will be doing any nature walks or hiking trails.
- Although the weather is generally stable during the autumn season with clear blue skies, we recommend bringing a raincoat just in case.
- Wear comfortable and sturdy walking shoes especially if you plan to spend a lot of time on your feet exploring the nature walks and trails.
- Book restaurants and tours in advance, they do fill up. Although autumn is generally a less busy time of the year, if there is something you really don’t want to miss out on then best to book early, especially if visiting in late April when the Arrowtown festival draws a crowd.
- The Arrowtown Information Centre is located on Buckingham Street and can help with information on things to do, itineraries, tours and activities.
- Don’t forget to sample some of Arrowtown’s delicious food. There are many great cafes and restaurants to choose from.
Final Thoughts
Arrowtown is a beautiful and charming town with an interesting history. Autumn in Arrowtown is a unique experience you won’t find in many other places here in New Zealand. With colourful hills surrounding the quaint town and the avenue of trees on full display, it’s no wonder so many artists and photographers visit Arrowtown during the autumn season. It’s our favourite time of year here and we hope you enjoy it too!
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Heather is a travel enthusiast living in New Zealand with her family. She writes about living in and enjoying travel to New Zealand.
Autumn is my favorite season. I’d love to see it in more locations. Thank you so much for sharing this. Saving it for later.
Wow, I had no idea the colors in New Zealand were so amazing in the autumn. Arrowtown looks like such a quaint town to visit – Lake Hayes and the hike look great! I need to head back to NZ to experience autumn.