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Compare trails

Which trail suits your trip? Pick a month for typical weather, or your own dates for the forecast, rated at each trail's lowest and highest point. The best match comes first; the table below has the details. For winter trips, start with hiking in Europe in winter.

Best in October

Good no real weather drawbackMixed walkable, with one drawbackPoor a serious drawback, or out of season
How the ratings work
Good
Typical weather suits walking: no snow expected at the high point, not hot low down or cold up high, and under 200 mm of rain in the month.
Mixed
One drawback in a typical year: snow or ice possible up high, a warm or cool month, or a wet one (200 mm or more).
Poor
Snow likely at the high point, heat of 33 °C or more low down, days below 3 °C up high, or outside the published season.

From typical weather: the 1991–2020 averages at the trail's lowest and highest point, corrected for height. A published season (a park that closes, huts that open) overrides the weather. A rating is a planning aid for the area, not a report of the trail: check the official warnings before you go.

  1. 1
    Milford Track New Zealand
    Poor
    1. January: Mixed
    2. February: Mixed
    3. March: Mixed
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Poor
    6. June: Poor
    7. July: Poor
    8. August: Poor
    9. September: Poor
    10. October: Poor
    11. November: Mixed
    12. December: Mixed

    Outside the published season. The Department of Conservation's Great Walks season runs from late October or 1 November to 30 April. From May to October it is an alpine route for experienced, well-equipped parties.

    • 1–16 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 312 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 13 h 16(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide

Side by side

Trail
Milford Track
New Zealand
At a glance
Weather in October Poor Outside the published season. The Department of Conservation's Great Walks season runs from late October or 1 November to 30 April. From May to October it is an alpine route for experienced, well-equipped parties.
Typical weather
Temperature, lowest point 16° by day, 7° at night at sea level
Temperature, highest point 9° by day, 1° at night at 1,138 m
Rain in a typical month 312 mm
Snow at the high point Frost, little snow High point 1,138 m
Daylight mid-month 13 h 16 Sunrise 06:56, sunset 20:12
The trail
Kind of trip Point to point in 4 stages
Length 53.6 km
Total climb +1,529 m
Highest point 1,138 m
Days to allow 3 walking Suggested for 4 days; shorter trips in the planner
Practical
Places to sleep 3 refuges Read 27 September 2026
Official status and season The Department of Conservation's Great Walks season runs from late October or 1 November to 30 April. From May to October it is an alpine route for experienced, well-equipped parties.
Rules and permits –
Getting there To Glade Wharf; From Sandfly Point
Official weather warnings No European warning service linked
Sources Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo

Where they are

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Ratings are planning aids from typical weather or the forecast, not statements about trail conditions. Typical weather: TerraClimate 1991–2020 at each trail's lowest and highest point, corrected for height, with the Pico do Areeiro station on the Madeira peaks. Stays and status come from each guide's dated records.