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Milford Sound Tours › The Milford RoadUpdated 2026-09-21

The Milford Road to Milford Sound: Stops, Homer Tunnel and Driving Tips

Hours, prices and access verified by the Milford Sound Tours team — last checked 2026-09-21.

The Milford Road runs 120 km from Te Anau to Milford Sound, and it is half the reason a day out here is worth it. DOC allows about two hours without stops, but you will want the stops. Here is the road in order, with what each stop offers and how long the Milford Sound day tour spend there.

Te Anau to the fiord at a glance

From Te Anau the road follows the lake, turns up the Eglinton Valley and climbs through beech forest to the Homer Tunnel. Past the tunnel it drops steeply to the fiord. Distances below are DOC's, measured from Te Anau. Tour stop times come from the operators' own itineraries.

StopFrom Te AnauWhat is thereTours stop for
Eglinton ValleyPast the lake roadA glacier-cut valley floor in beech forestAbout 10 minutes
Mirror LakesAbout 56 kmA 400 m path, about 10 minutes, wheelchair friendly10 to 15 minutes
Knobs FlatOn the valley roadToilets, a card phone, road signsA comfort stop
Lake GunnAbout 78 kmA 1.4 km forest loop, about 45 minutes5 to 10 minutes, or driven past
The DividePast the lakeThe trailhead for Key Summit; phone receptionNot a listed tour stop
Monkey CreekBefore the tunnelKea, and a clear creek10 to 15 minutes
Pops ViewNear the tunnelA roadside lookoutAbout 10 minutes
Homer TunnelTop of the road1.2 km of rock tunnel at 945 mDriven through
The ChasmAbout 109 kmA 400 m forest walk to the river's edgeStop if you drive yourself

Would you rather ride it than drive it?

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Eglinton Valley and Mirror Lakes

The road runs up the Eglinton Valley, a wide floor with beech forest on both sides. Road tours pause here for about 10 minutes for the view up the valley. DOC calls the valley a stronghold for native birds, from kākā to both native bats.

Mirror Lakes are about 56 km from Te Anau. A 400 m path, about 10 minutes return, leads to small lakes that reflect the Earl Mountains on a still day. The path suits wheelchairs and children. Tours give it 10 to 15 minutes.

Lake Gunn and The Divide

At Cascade Creek, about 78 km from Te Anau, the Lake Gunn Nature Walk loops 1.4 km through red beech forest. Allow about 45 minutes. It is flat, with a side path to a stony beach and a view of the mountains. Most road tours give Lake Gunn 5 to 10 minutes, or drive past.

The Divide comes next. It is where the Routeburn Track starts, and a half-day walk from it climbs to Key Summit for the view. You also pick up phone reception again here.

Monkey Creek and the kea

Monkey Creek is a short stop before the tunnel, and it is where you are most likely to meet a kea. These mountain parrots are nationally endangered, and they walk right up to the cars. Tours stop for 10 to 15 minutes.

Do not feed the kea. Food draws them onto the road. In 2024, DOC recorded five killed by vehicles between April and June: four at Monkey Creek and one at the Homer Tunnel. Slow down near them, and never drive off with a kea on your car. How to watch them safely is in the wildlife guide.

The Homer Tunnel

The Homer Tunnel is the top of the road. It is 1.2 km long, 945 metres above the sea, and about 3.81 metres tall. It runs one lane at a time, steeply downhill towards the fiord.

Traffic lights run it in the summer peak, and you can wait up to 20 minutes. Work began in 1935, and DOC dates its completion to the early 1950s. There is an emergency satellite phone at the tunnel, and no reception around it.

The Chasm, open as a viewing walk

The Chasm is about halfway between the tunnel and the fiord, 109 km from Te Anau. A 400 m forest walk, about 20 minutes return, leads to the edge of the Cleddau River. There you see water pouring through rock it has carved into basins.

It reopened on 24 April 2023 in a smaller form. The two viewing bridges were washed off their footings in the February 2020 storm, and you cannot cross the river. You can still see their concrete foundations.

Toilets, phones and signal on the road

Plan this before you lose signal, because you will. The road has few services, and DOC lists them all:

Winter: avalanches, chains and closures

From May to September the road is quieter and harder. Snow and ice cover it in places, and the shaded corners stay icy. The stretch from the Hollyford Road junction to The Chasm is avalanche country, and you may not stop there at any time of year.

  1. Check the road status before you leave Te Anau.
  2. Carry chains when the signs say so. You can hire them in Te Anau; learn to fit them first.
  3. Leave after 9am. DOC suggests a later start in winter, when the ice has eased.
  4. Drive to the conditions, and take extra care in the shade.
  5. If you are unsure, take a bus. That is DOC's own advice.

Driving it yourself vs riding it

If you drive, the road is yours: stop where you like and stay as long as you like. If you ride, you trade that freedom for a driver who knows the ice and a cruise that is already booked. Here is how the two compare.

Driving it yourselfRiding it on a tour
StopsAny you like, for as long as you likeSet by the driver, 5 to 15 minutes
The tunnelYou drive a steep one-lane tunnelThe driver does
WinterChains, ice and a no-stopping zoneThe operator decides if it runs
CostFuel, the car park and the cruiseOne fare that includes the cruise
Time on the waterAny boat you bookThe cruise the tour books for you

On the road, answered

Is the Milford Road open in winter?
Usually, but it closes for avalanche control on about eight days a year, mostly in winter. Carry chains when the signs say so; you can hire them in Te Anau.
Can you still visit The Chasm?
Yes. The Chasm reopened in April 2023 as a short viewing walk at the forest edge. The bridges lost in the February 2020 storm have not been replaced, so you cannot cross the river.
Is there fuel or phone signal on the road?
There is no fuel between Te Anau and the fiord, and little or no mobile coverage past Te Anau. Fill up before you leave; there is an emergency phone at the Homer Tunnel.
How long does the Milford Road take to drive?
DOC allows about two hours from Te Anau without stops, for 120 km. With the stops and short walks, most people take three to four hours each way.
Can I camp beside the Milford Road?
Not beside the road itself: freedom camping within 200 m of it is not allowed. DOC runs several campsites between Te Anau and The Divide, which you book online.

Where these facts come from

Every distance, walk time, tunnel figure, service and winter rule is DOC's, checked 21 September 2026. The kea deaths are from DOC's release of 11 July 2024. How long each tour stops comes from the operators' own itineraries, captured the same day.

Road days that stop along the way

Next: see how to get there, check the weather by month, or compare every tour on Milford Sound Tours.