Greenstone and Caples Tracks, Mountain trail in Otago Region, New Zealand

The Greenstone and Caples Tracks form a 61-kilometre tramping circuit in the South Island, linked by McKellar Saddle so walkers can complete a full loop. The Caples Track follows the Caples River up the privately owned Caples Valley, while the Greenstone Track follows the Greenstone River in the Greenstone Valley, also privately owned. Most of the route lies in the Greenstone and Caples Conservation Areas, with part in Fiordland National Park around Lake McKellar, all within Te Wāhipounamu/South-West New Zealand World Heritage Area.

The Caples Track takes its name from Patrick Q. Caples, a gold miner who in January 1863 crossed the mountains of the Caples valley seeking a route from the Queenstown goldfields to the West Coast. After a first attempt cut short by lack of supplies, he crossed the headwaters of the Greenstone River and followed the Hollyford Valley to Martins Bay, mapping the country he passed through.

The Caples Track takes its name from Patrick Q. Caples, a gold miner who crossed the Caples valley in January 1863 while seeking a route from the Queenstown goldfields to the West Coast. The valleys are privately owned, much of the land by Ngāi Tahu, yet the tracks remain open to the public provided stock is not disturbed.

The four-day circuit requires six to seven hours of walking each day, with basic huts provided for overnight shelter along the route. Visitors should be prepared for variable terrain and bring appropriate footwear and weather protection for mountain conditions.

In 2023 the Department of Conservation and Ngāi Tahu released 18 takahē in the Greenstone Valley, returning the flightless bird to a valley where it had long been absent. The birds are monitored after release, so trampers on the Greenstone Track may see them in the tussock and forest edges.