#36 of 79 · mountain
Crown Range Road
Queenstown, New Zealand → Wānaka
45 km · Oct – Apr · Moderate
The highest main road in the country, Cardrona in the middle, Wānaka at the bottom. Forty-five kilometres that make the Kawarau Gorge look like a shortcut.
Viewpoints
Crown Range summit
1,076 m. The Remarkables behind you, Cardrona ahead.
20 km
1,076 m
Cardrona Hotel
1863. A pint and a photograph. Then the last drop to the lake.
30 km
850 m
- Road
- Sealed, steep, frost in the morning even in summer. Winter ice and closures. Campervans on the hairpins out of Queenstown. The summit is often in cloud.
Tips
- 01
Not the night road
Ice and no lights. Do this in daylight, even in January.
- 02
Queenstown to Wānaka
The climb is the view. The other way is fine; this way is the drawing.
From the road
2 notes
Field reports from people who have driven this route.
Driven this road? Join as a driver to leave a note from the road.
Sophie W.
Dec 2025
Out of Queenstown at 7:20. Summit in cloud, Cardrona in sun. The hotel was open. Wānaka by nine. Ice on the Queenstown side even in December. Daylight only.
Hamish P.
Mar 2026
A camper was reversing on the first hairpin. Waited. The Crown is the highest main road for a reason — it is not the Kawarau shortcut, and it should not be.
