Hooker Valley Track: Aoraki / Mount Cook Day Walk Guide

Overview

The Hooker Valley Track leads through the Hooker Valley to Hooker Lake, at the foot of Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. DOC calls it "one of New Zealand's best day walks". It's 10 km return (about 3 hours) on a gravel track with some steps. You cross three swing bridges and pass glacial lakes, moraine and alpine meadows, and in summer you can see icebergs on the lake.

The area is sacred to Ngāi Tahu and has Tōpuni status, a symbolic cloak of protection.

The walk

• Short side tracks lead to Freda's Rock, named for mountaineer Freda Du Faur, and the Alpine Memorial. Mueller Lookout is just before the first bridge.
• Kakīroa / Mt Sefton View Lookout has views of Mueller Lake and Glacier.
• New in July 2026: The second swing bridge over the Hooker River was replaced with a 189 m bridge, now the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand.
• There are toilets 15 minutes past the second bridge. A third bridge brings you to the lake.

Getting there and parking

From Aoraki / Mount Cook Village, take SH80 toward Twizel. Hooker Valley Road is the first left. White Horse Hill car park is at the end, about 5 minutes from the village, 50 minutes from Twizel and 1 hr 30 min from Tekapo. Snow can close SH80, so check the highway before you travel.

Parking fees: DOC charges $2.50 per half hour or $25 a day. The first 20 minutes are free, and you pay by card on arrival (no cash). An overnight stay counts as two days.

Safety

• The weather changes very fast, with wind, rain and snow possible at any time of year.
• Winter: Shaded sections get icy and extremely slippery, so microspikes and poles are recommended.
• Stay out of the lakes. They're about 3°C. Never walk on lake ice or climb icebergs, because they can roll without warning.
• The track avoids avalanche paths, so keep to it.

Facilities and nature

White Horse Hill Campground, at the start, has accessible toilets, a shelter and treated drinking water. Look for the Mount Cook buttercup, the world's largest buttercup, and listen for kea and kārearea (NZ falcon).

Good to know

No dogs and no drones. Start early or late in the day in summer for a quieter walk.