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Routeburn River
Humboldt Mountains, South Island, New Zealand.jpg
The Routeburn River winds around the Humboldt Range.
Country New Zealand
Physical characteristics
Main source Humboldt Range
River mouth Dart River
Length 15 km (9.3 mi)

The Routeburn River, also known as the Route Burn, is a cool river found in New Zealand. It's a short, rocky river that flows for about 15 kilometers (9 miles). This river eventually joins the Dart River on New Zealand's South Island. A special thing about the Routeburn River is that it runs right next to a part of the famous Routeburn Track. The very beginning of the river, called its upper reaches, starts near the Routeburn North Branch. It then leaves the main hiking path around the Routeburn Flat Hut area.

Discover the Routeburn River

The Routeburn River is a beautiful natural feature in New Zealand. It's known for its clear waters and the stunning mountain scenery around it. Even though it's not a very long river, it plays an important role in the local environment.

Where Does the River Start?

The Routeburn River actually begins as two main streams. These two streams are about the same length. They meet up about 8 kilometers (5 miles) before the river flows into the Dart River. Both of these starting streams get their water from the Humboldt Range.

Streams from the Humboldt Range

One of the streams flows directly south. It comes from the slopes of a mountain called Nereus Peak, which is 1960 meters (6430 feet) high. The other stream flows south first, then turns east. This stream starts from a small mountain lake called Lake Wilson. It then travels through a larger lake, Lake Harris, before tumbling over the amazing Routeburn Falls.

How Other Streams Join In

As the Routeburn River gets closer to joining the Dart River, several smaller streams add their water to it. These smaller streams flow into the Routeburn River from the south. This helps make the river bigger and stronger as it continues its journey.

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