Tasman Glacier Viewpoint
Tasman Glacier Viewpoint
A pale blue glacial lake stretches through the valley beneath towering snow-covered mountains, while New Zealand's largest glacier rests at the end of the valley beneath the Southern Alps. It's a landscape that's almost impossible to take in all at once, with every direction offering another reason to stop and stare. This is Tasman Glacier Viewpoint.
Quick Details
Total Length: 1.2km
Elevation: 95m
Grade: Easy
Best season: Winter
Suitable for kids: Yes
Starting the Trail
Jess and the boys’ time around Aoraki Mount Cook National Park was almost over. After exploring Kea Point and the Hooker Valley Track over the last couple of days, they wanted to squeeze in one final hike before beginning the drive to Omarama. Fortunately, they didn’t have to go far from White Horse Hill Campground to find another incredible short hike.
The sky was a brilliant blue in every direction. Chilly, as you’d expect for this time of year in New Zealand, but it was shaping up to be a great day to go hiking. The trail is pretty straight forward and easy — a wide gravel path winds gently to the hillside before turning to a long series of timber steps.
One of the things Jess really loved most about her time in New Zealand was how many short walks there are for families, and those that want to experience the grand views but don’t necessarily want to hike all day to find them.
As they climbed up the staircase, Blue Lake came into view below them — well, a part of Blue Lake… at least we think it is… Look, we’re not locals here, so we don’t really know. It looks kinda blue, it’s a body of water some might call a small lake… It’s kind of connected to the bit that we know is Blue Lake, on the “Blue Lakes Track”… Let’s just look at Jess’ photo and not ask any more questions.
The stairs continued to climb higher and higher. There were no complaints from the boys. They’ve been hiking enough times to know that we always take them somewhere good, and the best views almost always involve stairs.
Turning around on the staircase gives an incredible view back across the valley. Everything feels almost perfectly still. Snow-capped mountains stand sentinel in the distance, while the occasional icy breeze sends ripples through the golden tussock grass. It's hard not to feel like even a mundane hike in New Zealand isn't an epic journey with scenery like this.
They take the final few steps to reach the lookout, and the wind hits them in the face like an immediate reminder that it’s winter. Tasman Glacier Lake stretches away beneath the lookout, its icy blue water winding towards the foot of the glacier. Small icebergs drift quietly across the surface while enormous moraine walls frame both sides of the valley.
Beyond them, the Tasman Glacier disappears into the mountains, surrounded by towering snow-covered peaks that seem to rise endlessly into the clear winter sky. Everywhere you look the landscape feels impossibly large, and even just one of the views in any direction would make the hike up the hill worth it.
Tasman Glacier Viewpoint is proof that sometimes the shortest hikes can lead to the largest views. Sure, there are legendary tracks here that deserve every bit of their reputation. But there are also places like this, where twenty minutes of walking is all it takes to understand why people travel from all over the world to visit Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.
Getting There
Tasman Glacier Viewpoint is located at the end of Tasman Valley Road, around a 15-minute drive from White Horse Hill Campground and Mount Cook Village.
The walk begins from the Tasman Glacier car park, where you'll also find toilets and picnic facilities. The track is well signposted and easy to follow.
Tips and Tricks
The hike is short, but includes a long staircase, so take your time if you need — the view will still be there at the top after you rest and catch your breath.
If you have extra time, continue down to Tasman Glacier Lake or explore around the Blue Lakes.
Morning and late afternoon offer beautiful light across the valley, especially in winter.