Hiking the Hooker Valley Track should without a doubt be included on any traveler’s itinerary during a visit to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand.
The 3.5-hour return journey leads through the dramatic Southern Alps, across swaying suspension bridges and over wooden boardwalks, and ends at an iceberg-speckled glacial lake.
We hiked the Hooker Valley Track during our two-night stay in Aoraki/Mount Cook, and it was one of the highlights of our entire trip.
This hike is now among my favorites in the world, alongside the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail in Yosemite National Park, the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, and the Cocora Valley in Colombia—but is significantly less strenuous than any of these.
Our Experience Hiking the Hooker Valley Track
After reading several firsthand accounts and reviews online, we made the decision to start our hike bright and early in order to avoid the crowds. Staying in Mount Cook Village made this incredibly easy, since the trailhead was a less-than-five-minute drive from our accommodation.
By 7:15am, we were on the trail. The early morning light was so soft and golden, and cast the most beautiful glow on the surrounding peaks. The previous night’s full moon was still looming above the mountain ranges, lending a surreal and dream-like quality to the scenery.
The natural world was quiet as we started our walk, but we witnessed signs that it was slowly but surely waking up. As we neared the first of the trail’s three suspension bridges, a group of half a dozen cotton-tailed bunnies scurried across our path.
Both and ahead and behind us, the trail was blissfully empty of other humans.
The Hooker Valley Track is known for its iconic suspension bridges, and traversing them certainly does add to the adventure. Expect a bit of gentle swaying and slightly less gentle bouncing as you cross.
Don’t forget to look down at the powerful, milky-colored river rushing beneath you—it’s hypnotizing to watch, and the view is pretty incredible as well.
Aside from the three suspension bridges, the majority of the Hooker Valley Track is a gravel path…that is, until you reach the wooden boardwalk just before the third and final bridge.
Here, the landscape opens up even more. Walking through this lush valley was one of my personal highlights of hiking the Hooker Valley Track—and the sight of icy Mount Cook looming in the distance is nothing short of epic.
As we journeyed onwards, I found myself noticing the dozens of thin waterfalls and streams nestled in the mountainsides. There were so many of them tucked away among the glacier-covered cliffs.
Contrasted with the lush green valley and soft gray sky, it was easy to imagine I had been whisked away to some fairytale land (Middle-earth, perhaps?).
Surely orcs or goblins were going to come swarming over the mountain ranges at any moment? Or maybe we would catch a glimpse of giant eagles soaring above Mount Cook in the distance?
While I love a good challenging hike, I really appreciated being able to slow down and actually soak in the scenery while hiking the Hooker Valley Track. That can be hard to do when you’re huffing and puffing your way up a steep slope.
After about an hour and a half of walking, our ultimate destination—Hooker Lake—came into view. Have you ever seen icebergs floating in a glacier lake? Neither had I…
At the far end of the lake you can see the Hooker Glacier, frozen solid even during the height of summer. Sadly, this seven-mile-long glacier has begun melting rapidly over the past few decades, along with many of the other glaciers in the Southern Alps.
As Hooker Glacier continues to melt and recede, Hooker Lake will continue to expand.
There were less than a dozen fellow hikers already at Hooker Lake by the time we arrived—most of them down by the icy lake’s shores. We headed up a short, rocky path to an overlook next to the lake instead, which ended up being a wonderful private place to soak in the views.
We spent around 30 minutes relaxing by Hooker Lake, with most of that time spent in complete silence. The alpine scenery was so tranquil and majestic, there were really no words that seemed worthy of being spoken out loud.
As more and more hikers trickled into the lake area, we decided it was time to begin our return journey. The morning was slowly beginning to warm up, and more visitors would soon be flocking to the trailhead to begin their own trek to Hooker Lake.
We picked up the pace a bit on the way back, partly because we had already passed the same scenery on the hike in, and partly to appease our rumbling bellies. By the time we reached the parking lot at 10:30am, the sun had risen completely over the mountains and we had worked up a decent sweat. We were also starving.
Old Mountaineer’s Cafe ended up being a superb brunch spot after hiking the Hooker Valley Track. The mountaineer’s breakfast is aptly named; the plate comes piled high with sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, mushrooms, and tomato. And the coffee is good!
Looking back at all ten days of our New Zealand trip, our day spent hiking the Hooker Valley Track was absolutely among the best. Although all of New Zealand is absolutely beautiful and splendid, I think the views we saw during this hike were probably my favorite of the whole trip.
Practical Info: Hiking the Hooker Valley Track
- Estimated Time: 3-4 hours return
- Distance: 6.8 miles / 11 kilometers (total, i.e. out and back)
- Elevation Change: 400 feet / 120 meters
- Trailhead: The Hooker Valley Track begins at the parking lot for White Horse Hill Campground, in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
All in all, the Hooker Valley Track is quite an easy hike. Aside from a handful of short, mild inclines, it was almost entirely flat.
I do recommend starting as early possible for cooler weather, less harsh sunlight, and significantly smaller crowds. Our hike was extremely peaceful, and from what I’ve read online, we may not have been able to say that if we had started at 10am instead of 7am.
Hiking the Hooker Valley Track: Where to Stay
If possible, I highly recommend staying in Mount Cook Village to help you maximize your time in Aoraki/Mount Cook, and to ensure an early start on the day of your hike. We stayed in a private room at YHA Mt Cook, and thought it was a great place for our needs: a perfect 10/10 location; an affordable price point; and decent amenities.
Our second-choice location would have been Mount Cook Lodge and Motel. If you’re looking for the nicest place to stay in Mount Cook Village and are willing to splurge, there’s no beating The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook. We ate dinner here twice, and it’s a truly beautiful hotel.
Shop the looks in this post:
Pin It!
Would you like to hike the Hooker Valley Track someday? What are some of your personal favorite hikes around the world?
Note: This post contains several affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. My affiliate income helps offset the cost of running this blog, and allows me to keep this site free from sponsored content. So, thank you!!
Gorgeous photos! I would love to visit New Zealand one day to explore the natural beauty of that country!
Dominique | dominiquetravels.com recently posted…Venice – A Photo Diary of San Marco Square
I’m sure you would love it, Dominique!