Hooker Valley Track
Hooker Valley Track
A milky blue river winds through the valley beneath towering snow-covered peaks, while giant swing bridges carry the track from one side to the other. With snow and ice clinging to the mountainsides and Aoraki waiting at the end of the valley, it's little wonder this is one of New Zealand's best walks. This is Hooker Valley Track.
Quick Details
Total Length: 1.2km*
Elevation: 32m*
Grade: Easy
Best season: Winter and Spring
Suitable for kids: Yes
*The full track is much longer with more elevation.
Starting the Trail
The sun was shining over White Horse Hill Campground as Jess and the boys emerged from their campervan — wisps of snow blew off the mountain tops like the steam rising from Jess’ coffee cup. It was going to be a long day of driving ahead, but for now that could wait — one of the best hikes in New Zealand was just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
The trail begins just outside of the campground. It’s wide, graveled, and pretty much flat for the first part — the perfect kind of trail for an early morning wander.
Everywhere they looked, snow-capped mountains reflected the morning sunlight. It was one of those views that kept pulling their eyes away from the track and back to the peaks. It’d be great to come back in spring, when all that snow begins to melt and waterfalls spill down the mountainsides.
While the snow may be out of reach, the morning frost hadn't yet thawed and the boys had a great time searching for the biggest pieces of ice that they could find beside the track.
Lower Bridge
It wasn’t long before they reached the first suspension bridge of the trail. It would also be the only one they could cross today, as the second bridge was currently shut for repairs.
Suspension bridges are fun at any age, I think. They’re just one of those things that takes the mundane and turns it into an adventure. Stretching high above the river, it gently sways beneath your feet as you cross from one side to the next.
Crossing it is almost an attraction in itself — the snow capped mountains surrounding you, the pale, milky-blue water rushing underneath you.
There’s a limit of only 20 people on the bridge at any one time. So if you get there and there’s a crowd, you’ll need to do a quick headcount before hopping on yourself.
Jess and the boys were lucky enough to catch it to themselves for a little while and it was a great little reset for the morning — just watching the water go by. As this is such a popular track, going early in the morning is a great way to get long stretches of the track to yourself.
Back to the Trail
Beyond the bridge, the trail turns back to an easy to follow gravel path and timber boardwalks and gently climbs uphill. Looking across Lake Mueller, they could actually see the lookout at the end of Kea Point Track, where they were the night before.
Just as they were getting ready to turn around and head back to camp, the silence was interrupted by a deep rumble that seemed to echo around the valley. Jess looked up just in time to see a slab avalanche break free on the slopes of Mount Sefton. The snow thundered down the mountainside before vanishing into a cloud of white powder below. The whole thing only lasted seconds.
With a long drive ahead of them, they made their way back to camp, ready to move on to the next location of their holiday. As it would happen, the full Hooker Valley Track would reopen only a few days after their visit. Missed it by thaaat much.
Getting There
Hooker Valley Track begins from the White Horse Hill Campground in the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park of the South Island.
A large car park and campground are there.
Tips and Tricks
As this is one of New Zealand’s most popular walks, it does get busy so consider going early or late in the day if you want to avoid the crowds.
It gets its name from a botanist… A nineteenth-century, male botanist, who had no side hustles… (that we know of)
Even on sunny days pack a warm layer. The weather can change quickly, and unless you’re going in the middle of the day, it’s likely you’ll be walking in the shadow of the mountains for a lot of the hike.