Walks and hikes at Franz Josef and Fox Glacier

7 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

Walking onto the glaciers from the valley floor ended in 2012 at Franz Josef and in 2014 at Fox. The ice had thinned so much that the valley walls lost their support, and rockfall made the approach unsafe. Since then every track in the two valleys stops at a viewpoint, and the only way onto the ice is a heli-hike.

That still leaves a good choice of walks. Most start at the glacier car park 4 km south of Franz Josef, at the Alex Knob/Lake Wombat car park halfway along the same road, or at the edge of the two villages. They are all free, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) visitor centre on Cron Street in Franz Josef has the current track conditions.

The two glacier viewpoints

The Franz Josef valley walk follows the Waiho River through rainforest to a viewpoint, about 30 minutes return. On 2 November 2026 the Glacier Country access report put that viewpoint about 3,000 metres from the ice. The river has changed its course, so you cannot continue up the valley beyond the sign that marks the limit of safe access. At Fox, the South Side Walk starts 2 km south of the village and takes about two hours return; the first viewpoint comes after about 40 minutes, and the viewpoint lay about 2,600 metres from the ice on the same day.

Both tracks close when it floods, when rock comes down or after a landslide, and DOC places a sign across the track where it is no longer safe. Check the daily access report from Glacier Country before you drive out, and never step past a barrier. Downpours can flood the valley floor within minutes.

Short walks around Franz Josef

From the glacier car park, the Sentinel Rock Walk is a 20-minute return climb to a rock outcrop with photo boards of the glacier’s retreat; DOC notes that the ice has pulled back more than 3 km since 1909. Peters Pool, a kettle lake left by melting ice, is 25 minutes return, and from there you can continue on the Douglas Walk to the historic Douglas suspension bridge. Lake Wombat, from the car park halfway along the access road, takes 1 hour 30 minutes return through rimu forest to a small lake.

In the village itself, the Callery Gorge Walk starts at the end of Cowan Street, follows an old gold-mining water race and ends at the Callery Gorge Bridge above the blue water of the gorge. The Terrace Walk is the one for after dinner: 30 minutes on the edge of the village, with glow-worms after dark if you bring a torch. Te Ara a Waiau Walkway/Cycleway links the village and the glacier car park, so you can reach the valley walk without a car.

Roberts Point and Alex Knob

These two day hikes are the only way to look down on the Franz Josef Glacier without a helicopter, and DOC grades both as advanced. Roberts Point leaves the glacier car park on the Douglas Walk and becomes a tramping track at the Douglas Bridge. After about an hour you reach Hende’s Hut, a sheltered lunch stop that is not meant for overnight stays. Further up are Hende’s Gallery, a cantilevered balcony built in 1907, and a high suspension bridge over Rope Creek before the lookout. DOC gives 5 hours 20 minutes return for the 12.3 km.

Take the warnings on this track seriously. Several creeks have no bridge, starting with Hugh Creek, and DOC says to come back another day if they are running high. The rock slabs are treacherous when wet or icy. According to the NZ Mountain Safety Council, Roberts Point has the most rescues of any track in the national park: 27 people between 2013 and 2026. Its advice is to carry a personal locator beacon, stay on the orange-marked route and turn back early.

Alex Knob starts at the Alex Knob/Lake Wombat car park and climbs steadily for about two hours through forest to Rata Lookout, then another hour to Christmas Lookout. Above that the track leaves the trees for sub-alpine scrub and herb fields on the way to the summit, 8 hours return in total. There is no water on the way. In summer, cloud tends to build in the afternoon, so DOC advises an early start; in winter, snow is likely above Christmas Lookout.

Walks at Fox Glacier

Off the South Side Walk, the Moraine Walk leaves the cycleway and crosses old moraine ridges, where you can see how quickly plants take hold on bare ground. Bikes are not allowed on this section. In Fox village, the Minnehaha Walk is a 20-minute loop on State Highway 6 that suits wheelchairs and buggies, and it has glow-worms after dark.

The Lake Gault Track starts from the Lake Matheson car park. You follow the Lake Matheson loop anticlockwise, then branch off and climb about 200 metres through podocarp forest, crossing a few small streams. Allow about three hours return. On a still morning the lake reflects Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, before the cloud comes in.

Rain, rivers and what to carry

NIWA measured an average of 5,751 mm of rain a year at Franz Josef between 1981 and 2010, so a waterproof jacket belongs in every pack. The Waiho and Callery rivers are fast and cold: do not try to cross them on foot. Insect repellent helps against the sandflies, and for the long tracks DOC and the Mountain Safety Council add warm layers, extra food and drinking water. More on the right clothing is on the weather page, and the guided version of the valley walks is on guided walks.