Cross Creek
not verifiedpermit verified 2026-08-20
Ungraded
High flood risk
Makarora
A short, cold, fun schist slot off the Haast Pass road, often cited as one of the most enjoyable canyons in New Zealand.
Didymo CONFIRMED present. CHECK CLEAN DRY your gear before going into any other catchment. Schedule Cross Creek as the LAST canyon of any multi-canyon trip so contamination risk goes one way. Stay on the access track, do not exit the canyon to do laps of any jumps, DOC is monitoring damage to surrounding moss and forest. Sandflies aggressive in the Haast Pass corridor, bring repellent and a long-sleeve layer for the exit.
Logistics
| Manager | DOC Mount Aspiring National Park / Haast Pass corridor |
|---|---|
| Permit | DOC publishes no permit requirement for private recreational canyoning here. The department's own Mount Aspiring National Park page states a permit requirement for flying a drone on public conservation land and none for canyoning, so the page does list permit rules where they exist. Commercial descents are different: DOC regulates business activity on conservation land through concessions, so a guided trip runs under the operator's concession rather than a client permit. |
| Distance | ~0.4 mi descent |
| Time | 2 to 4 hr (20 to 30 min approach, 1.5 to 3.5 hr descent, minimal exit) |
| Technical | Short, punchy schist slot on the Haast Pass road between Wanaka and Haast. Native grade v3a2II (kiwicanyons three-star), ACA 3B II per ropewiki. Longest rappel about 22 m. Beautiful slides, jumps, and short rappels in very cold, turquoise water. The first abseils warm you up, the lower section is the highlight. |
| Season | Nov to Mar. |
| Flood risk | Moderate. Small catchment so it clears quickly, but at high flow the slides and jumps turn dangerous. Check kiwicanyons trip reports for recent flow notes. |
| Vehicle access | 2WD car suitable to the highway pullout. No 4WD needed. |
| Crowd | Moderate. Popular among South Island private parties and commercial guides (SouthCanyons, Canyoning New Zealand). |
| Coordinates | -44.0996, 169.3601 |