A short and easy hike is never enough for Hermann, besides we still had the whole afternoon. So, after hiking in Queenstown Hill we head out to Moke Lake about a thirty-minute drive from town. This lake is an out-of-the-way place, away from the crowds, yet not far from town. To get there from the Glenorchy- Queenstown Road, which follows along the eastern shore of the north arm of Lake Wakatipu, follow the Moke Lake Road. The road is very steep but paved most of the way. Then, on the final two or three miles it became a rough gravel road, but easily passable even by camper. As you drive, you will see sheep scattered around the valley like white balls of confetti.
About over a mile to Moke Lake is a small lake on the left side of the road called Lake Kirkpatrick. It's a photo opportunity we cannot resist that we had to stop. As you can see from the picture below.
When we arrived at the trailhead there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot. But I bet it is full in summer, Moke Lake is a popular recreation spot; I can understand why, it is a beautiful lake in a beautiful setting. There are camping sites here with water and rest rooms on site. Fishing and kayaking are also allowed.
There is a track encircling the lake, a four-mile loop, requiring 2.5 hours to complete according to the sign at the trailhead. This track also connects to Lake Dispute, two hours and forty-five minutes one way from the trailhead, if taken by itself. Moke Lake is small but has spectacular views of the mountains all the way around. It sits in the valley below Ben Lomond.
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