New Zealand, Canterbury
Braided rivers, beech forest and the dramatic Otira viaduct across an alpine fault.
Length
90 km
In miles
55.9 mi
Driving time
2 hr 49 min
Atlas rating
9.3 / 10
The run
Springfield to Arthur's Pass, following the SH73. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
Snow and ice in winter
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 10 April 2026
Nearby
229 km away
Haast Pass
Rainforest and waterfall canyon roads link the lakes to the wild West Coast.
241 km away
Takaka Hill
Marble mountain switchbacks between Tasman Bay and Golden Bay.
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Lindis Pass
Golden tussock hills and long, high speed sweeps through empty high country.
310 km away
Crown Range Road
New Zealand's highest sealed road with a hairpin stack above the Cardrona valley.
359 km away
Milford Road
A glacial valley run to the Homer Tunnel and a fiord surrounded by vertical rock.
513 km away
Forgotten World Highway
Four saddles, a gorge and a tunnel, on a road that feels a century out of date.
Plan around it
Longer journeys