The Mount Sunday Track access is about 22 kms along Hakatere Potts Road northwest from Lake Clearwater. The track is marked by an obvious carpark and trail sign. It’s about 2 kms to the peak, mostly flat but with a steep climb at the end up the grassy slope to the left of the rock face.
Although you don’t gain that much height, you still get fantastic 360-degree views of the valley and surrounding mountains. The top is quite flat, and it is relatively easy to imagine how they built a substantial movie set at the top to create Edoras in LOTR, although you won’t see any evidence of the set.
Another interesting feature of this walk is the stream you cross and wind around. It is exceedingly pretty (and bloody cold). It is apparently one of the highest-quality freshwater streams in New Zealand and an important location for wild salmon spawning.
