Southland · New Zealand
Milford Road
SH 94Te Anau to Milford Sound
Some 119 km from Te Anau through the glacier-carved Eglinton Valley, into the single-lane Homer Tunnel and down a 1-in-10 plunge to the fiord beneath Mitre Peak. Kea work the tunnel queue while you wait, the most New Zealand traffic jam there is.
The Milford Road runs roughly 119 km from Te Anau to Milford Sound (Piopiotahi), one of New Zealand’s most celebrated drives. From the shore of Lake Te Anau it threads the glacier-carved Eglinton Valley past Mirror Lakes and Lake Gunn, climbs through the upper Hollyford Valley to The Divide, then bores through the single-lane, traffic-light-controlled Homer Tunnel, opened in 1954, descending a steep 1:10 grade to the fiord beneath Mitre Peak. Mind the Homer Tunnel queues, winter and spring avalanche risk, kea that gather at the portals, and fast-changing alpine weather that often closes the road.
Beech forest opens onto the wide Eglinton Valley, then the road climbs to the raw Homer Tunnel and spills down the Cleddau to Milford Sound. Pure Fiordland theatre.
Why we picked it
Scenery
Best seasons
In these collections
In these Grand Tours
Where it runs72.0 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Corners
busiest around mile 61Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%6.6 – 922.7 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- Five Mile LookoutViewpoint3.8 mi in
- Mirror LakesViewpoint34 mi in
- Milford SoundViewpoint71 mi in
Hazards
- Homer Tunnel single-lane
- Avalanche risk
- Kea damage parked cars
- Sudden alpine weather
- Winter closures
- Ice and snow
Is Milford Road open? Typical season and live summit weather ›
Sources
“every bit as impressive as the destination”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
Driving the Milford Road: quick answers
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Nearby roads
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