The turnoff for Moke Lake, Otago, is about 5 km along the Glenorchy-Queenstown Road from Queenstown. Then it’s a short, scenic drive past tiny Lake Kirkpatrick to Moke Lake. The road is narrow in places, so take care.
There is a loop walk around Moke Lake and a camping ground at the north end. The lake is safe for swimming, although summer would be best! The track also connects with the Lake Dispute Walkway and the Mt Crichton Track to the south. The lake’s mountain surrounds are very scenic and generate beautiful reflections when it is calm enough.
The lake's name sounds interesting, but in practice, it is prosaic. The owner of the surrounding farm named it after an old mule! The Ngāi Tahu names are more insightful. They call the lakes Punamāhaka or Waikāmāhaka. Both mean twin waters, which describes the unusual two-legged appearance of the lake when seen from above.
