Lake Marian Track with Kids
About Lake Marian Track
The Lake Marian Track is a popular hike found in Fiordland National Park in the South Island, New Zealand. Located right off the famous Milford Sound Road, you will find a suspension bridge which guides you through the forest to a glacier lake at the hike’s summit. One of the most fun and exciting hikes in Fiordland, sure to have you appreciating stunning views, not only at the end, but in its entirety. Don’t be fooled by the short distance of the trail, this hike is no beginner trail. It is somewhat technical with some moderate rock scrambling along the way. Undoubtedly, this track can be completed with children. Read on for our full guide on how to tackle the Lake Marian Track with kids! Our post is geared more toward smaller children (ours were toddlers), but can be applied to older kids as well.
Lake Marian Track Details
- Distance: 3.9 mi
- Duration: 3-3.5 hrs
- Elevation Gain: 1,341 ft
- Difficulty: Hard
- Type: Out & Back
Table of Contents
Our New Zealand Guides
Trail Difficulty
Despite the short mileage of the hike, the Lake Marian Track with kids is no simple walk. I would classify this as moderately to hard difficulty. The trail consists of quite a bit of tree roots and borderline scrambling sections. Although it can be a bit of a challenge, I think this made it more fun for our girls! They loved climbing up large tree roots. It seems like the easy, flat trails are the ones kids are less interested in tbh.
Trials & Tribulations
The most challenging portion of the Lake Marian track for us was climbing up a steep section while Maya was sleeping on Gregg’s shoulders. Also, maneuvering this part of the trail while carrying a bulky hiking child carrier wasn’t a simple feat. This was really the only sketchy portion of the hike. If we weren’t carrying children, it would not have been concering for anyone that is physically active. Carrying dead weight safely was this issue for us since Maya was asleep. For this reason, I would recommend a child carrier for each kiddo if you anticipate them sleeping or not being able to assist in the climb. On the way back down, Maya was awake, which made the climb down substantially simpler.
Overall, the trail is not so much difficult in terms of steepness or length, but more technical IMO. Like I said, it would not be very hard for those without children. A workout? Of course. But not a challenge or dangerous. It is not a dangerous trail with steep dropoffs like others in the South Island. With good weather, it’s very safe. Just prepare yourself for that one steep climb and you’ll be fine!
Hiking in New Zealand can be tricky in terms of planning around the weather. Especially in Fiordland, one of the wettest places on the planet! Prepare for possible rain, cool temps, snow…really anything! Our favorite time of the year for hiking in New Zealand is Spring and Fall. You can expect mild temperatures and safer trail conditions. Although wintertime is more magical with snow capped mountains, you can still get this effect in the beginning of spring and at the end of fall. We were lucky enough to still see some snow at the top of Lake Marian in November. However, temperatures were mild to warm midday on the trail. Hiking Lake Marian Track with kids is best done any time of the year except winter. The summit was certainly cold and a little rainy. Our girls were pretty chilly on arrival and were wearing a fleece-lined rain jacket with merino wool layers.
Our FAVORITE Rain Jacket
We did encounter some light rain at the top, so be sure to bring a rain coat. We ADORE the Therm Kids SplashMagic jacket. When the jacket gets wet, a secret magic pattern appears 🙂 My daughter’s thought this was absolutely the coolest thing ever! Not to mention, the company was founded by a Kiwi Mama and now resides in Canada. We love supporting other parent-owned brands!
Use Code 4ADVENTURE for 10% off any Therm Kids product
What to Pack
Prepping to hike Lake Marian Track with kids requires knowledge of the trail itself and weather conditions. As always, keep up to date with the conditions of the trail the week prior. We love AllTrails for detailed, accurate conditions and what to expect on the hike. Below is our packing list for the Lake Marian Track. Be sure to check out our Baby & Toddler travel gear faves here as well!
- Child Hiking Carrier (we love the Osprey Poco line)
- Hiking sneakers
- Lightweight base layers
- Dual fleece-lined rain coat (also offers wind protection. Don’t go crazy, we found ours on Walmart!)
- Water
- Plenty of snacks (apples, PB&J, trail mix & snickers are our go to’s)
- Diapers/Wipes
- Milk bottle (if needed)
- Portable changing pad (depending on age of child)
- Sunglasses or hat (minimal shade)
- Apply sunscreen to sensitive skin children prior to hike
- Camera, Go Pro, Drone, Tripod (for the photographers out there)
- Mini first aid kit
Find our favorite Baby & Toddler travel gear here!
Toddlers Tips
- Pack a hiking carrier for any child that potentially will not walk the entire duration. This is not an easy track for little legs!
- Wear layers – the summit gets a little chilly and could rain/snow at any point, especially in the spring, fall and winter time for sure.
- Pack lots of snacks to keep littles entertained. The more treat-o’s, the better!
- Wear hiking boots, not sneakers. Maya fought us on this hard because her boots were tight (should’ve tried on beforehand) and her feet were soaked by the end of the hike
- Plan for at least a half day hike with little ones. This hike would take a normal-paced adult about 2.5-3 hrs. We always double this duration with smaller children especially
- Make the walk fun! What kid doesn’t like a good challenge? Sing songs, pick out sticks to use as hiking poles. This is true for any hike 🙂
Final Thoughts
Hiking Lake Marian Track with kids is one of the most challenging, yet exciting walks you may complete in the South Island. We loved almost every minute of it (except the sketchy section carrying Maya LOL). The hike was a fun challenge for our daugheters, incredibly scenic and a solid workout! This is a must-do track if you’re looking for an adventure in Fiordland. Exploring areas outside of Milford Sound had been on our radar for awhile, and this certainly lived up to expectiations! Prepare for any weather, pack lots of snacks and water, and you’ll be set up for success. Be sure to follow us on social media for up to date trips and family travel advice. Most importantly, thank you for supporting our blog 🙂
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