Distance: 4.1 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy terrain
Altitude: 197m to 242m. Gain: 70m. Loss: 72m . Gradient: 2 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

From the Shallow Bay turnoff the benched, broad Keplar Track crosses bush flats and wetlands west to the Waiau River. All creeks and wetlands are bridged/boardwalked. The Rainbow Reach swingbridge is reached about 1km after the track joins the main river. It is necessary to cut 100m back down-river to reach the bridge from the signposted junction.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Rainbow Reach a swingbrdge crosses the Waiau. The track joins the main Keplar Track at a signposted track junction 100m upriver from the bridge. Cutting back downriver and climbing to terraces above the Keplar track heads 3km east through open mature forest and wetlands twards Lake Manapouri. 300m from the lakeshore a signposted track junction marks the turnoff to Shallow Bay.

All creeks are bridged and wet sections boardwalked.