Crown Range Road is a road that winds steeply between Arrow Junction, south of Arrowtown, and Wanaka to the north. This is one of the highest sealed roads in New Zealand.
Traveling from Arrowtown towards Cromwell the Crown Range Road starts at the bottom of the Zig zag. This steep and winding climb goes to the Crown Terrace. The Crown Terrace is a large flat and fertile area capable of growing grain crops. The road off to the left is to Glencoe Station (Glencoe Road) and at the end of the Crown Terrace is the Eastburn Road to Eastburn Station. Glencoe Station is the large high country ranch behind Arrowtown. Eastburn Station is also large and runs from the Glencoe boundary almost to Cardrona, New Zealand.
Just past the Eastburn Road the road twists and climbs up to the Crown Saddle. The bronze plaque at the Crown Range Road Summit confirms that this historic pass, at 1076 m (3530 ft) is one of the highest sealed (paved) roads in all of New Zealand (2m higher than the Desert Road summit on State Highway 1 in the North Island). Before being revoked in the late 1990s the road was gazetted State Highway 89. Eastburn Station has provided a number of viewing areas. The distant views down and over Lake Hayes, Arrowtown and the airport to Queenstown are stunning in any conditions. From the Crown Saddle the road follows the Cardrona creek, then stream which becomes the Cardrona River down the iconic snow tussock valley until it opens out at the small settlement of Cardrona.
The area was heavily populated during the Central Otago goldrush of the 1860s, the town of Cardrona, now little more than a dot on the map, briefly having a population of several thousand prospectors. There are visible remains of gold prospecting beside the Crown Range Road over the Saddle on the west bank opposite the East Burn (stream) 2 miles over the saddle. Also 6 miles down from the Saddle on the east bank.
From the beautiful scenic centre of Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu to the beautiful scenic centre of Wanaka on Lake Wanaka by way of the Crown Range, the highest main road in New Zealand, with great views and gold mining history - it's a unique trip not to be missed. 
After experiencing some of the wonderful sights and activities Queenstown has to offer you are ready to move on to Lake Wanaka and drive through the Haast Pass to the West Coast.
Leaving Queenstown by State Highway 6 you drive to Frankton and continue along SH 6 - the road signposted as leading to Cromwell. The drive to Wanaka via SH6 is 120 km (75 miles) and takes you through the scenic Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell and on to Wanaka. You may have already driven through the Gorge on your way to Queenstown.
The Crown Range Road is the highest main road in New Zealand and offers some fascinating views. It is a shorter trip - 70km (44 miles) - than going through Cromwell, but don't allow less time as the travelling will be slower and you will want to stop to look at the views and take photographs.
The clearly marked turnoff to the Crown Range is just past Lake Hayes - 18.8 km (11.7 miles) - from Queenstown.
The road zigzags up to the Crown Terrace and from there you can look down to Arrowtown in the Arrow Valley, and across at the end of the Remarkables and the road to the Remarkables skifield.
The road then climbs steeply to the summit - 1119,7 metres above sea level. From there you can see Frankton, part of Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown.
Much of the road beyond this point was unsealed, but sealing has been completed recently easier travelling. The road crosses a plateau of farmland and then descends steadily through the steep-sided Cardrona valley and the little Cardrona River. On the left is the Crown Range and on the right the Criffle Range. This land growing mainly tussock is old goldmining country and heaps of tailings are evidence of the earlier presence of the miners who must have rejoiced to slake their thirst at the Cardrona Hotel built in 1870.
There are some switchbacks on the descent and the road is not advised for towing vehicles or vehicles longer than about 12 metres
