We hiked every single trail in Franz Josef to bring you the full low down on what the walks are like from firsthand experience. And when it comes to variety, you are spoilt for choice - whether you’re looking for easy strolls with jaw-dropping views, or something a little more challenging.
We’ll be taking you through each track including those with the best glacier views, an epic electric blue water gorge, a glow worm tunnel, mirror lakes and even a trail with four incredible swing bridges - including one of New Zealand’s longest!
Here are all the best walks in Franz Josef, and a couple of hikes which are just down the road in Fox Glacier and Okarito, which really shouldn’t be missed!
The best walks in Franz Josef
1. Roberts Point Track - for epic swing bridges and a good scramble
Distance: 11.8km
Elevation gain: 670m
Difficulty: Hard
The Roberts Point Track is the most adventurous walk on this list, but the reward is more than worth the effort.
It’s one of the most varied trails we’ve hiked in New Zealand, taking you over four amazing swing bridges - including one of the country’s longest that has more than a little wobble to it!
You’ll traverse beautiful native forest, pass spectacular waterfalls, head down a floating staircase and then take on a challenging scramble to one of the best views of Franz Josef Glacier.
There’s never a dull moment and it ended up being one of our favourite hikes on the South Island. It can be a little dicey in wet weather though, so if possible it’s best saved for a dry day.
We have a full run down on the track in our Roberts Point Trail guide.
2. Callery Gorge - for spectacular electric blue water
Distance: 4.8km return
Elevation gain: 200m
Difficulty: Easy
The water colour of Callery Gorge is utterly jaw-dropping. It’s every bit as beautiful as Hokitika Gorge and yet it somehow flies under the radar. That only makes it more special as you’ll likely get it all to yourself!
The walk to get there is easy, first through a lovely shady forest and then out to the gorge, where you can take in the scene from the rocks, or up on the swing bridge.
There aren’t really any words to describe how beautiful it is, with electric blue water, a small waterfall and picturesque silvery gorge walls.
The walk does have some gentle uphills, but it never gets steep and the path is very well maintained.
There are a couple of spots just off the main trail that are also worth checking out and we detail how to find them in this post.
3. Tatare Tunnels - for a water filled glow worm tunnel
Distance: 4.8km return
Elevation gain: 185m
Difficulty: Easy
Walking through the pitch black tunnel whilst looking out for glow worms glistening on the ceiling makes for one of the most funs walks in Franz Josef.
The Tatare Tunnels are fabulous old gold mining tunnels and though only one can now be explored, it’s 400m long, which is far enough to be exciting or eerie depending on your point of view!
Water runs through the tunnel, but only enough to get your boots wet and it’s totally worth it. The walk to get there is through pristine forest and relatively flat and easy until you reach a short rocky path at the end - and that section isn’t hard, just no longer a smooth track.
All the finer details can be found in this guide. It’s also worth noting that the Tatare Tunnels are an offshoot of the Callery Gorge Track, so it’s easy to combine the two and chop a little off the total distance.
4. Lake Matheson - for the most beautiful lake on the South Island
Distance: 4.5km circuit
Elevation gain: 105m
Difficulty: Easy
The Lake Matheson circuit is a must do. Not only do you reach three amazing viewpoints of one of New Zealand’s most beautiful lakes, but you also walk through glorious mossy forest, which feels like something out of the Lord of the Rings.
If you want to get that classic mirror image of Aoraki Mount Cook reflected in the water, you’ll want to come on a windless day (we detail exact conditions needed in this guide).
The path is gravel and very well maintained making this an easy win for such incredible views.
There are a fews ups and downs, but also plenty of flat track and it’s a great easy walk which is perfect for catching sunrise or sunset over the lake.
5. Alex Knob - for the best view of the glacier
Distance: 17km (17.8km if you include Wombat Lake)
Elevation gain: 1,200m
Difficulty: Moderate - hard
The views from the top of Alex Knob are nothing short of extraordinary. These are blow you away wow factor views of Franz Josef Glacier, rivalled only by taking a helicopter trip.
Of course views this good don’t come easy and getting to the viewpoint requires the steepest walk of any on this list.
The good news is that the trail is in great condition, there are a few rough bits but no scrambling required, so it’s really just a case of putting one foot in front of the other and keep on climbing.
If you don’t want to go all the way to the top there are several fab viewpoints along the way that make good turn around points. We detail the distance to each in this post.
Whilst the walk is mainly a straight up and straight down type trail, much of the gradient is shallow. You can make a short detour to Wombat Lake, which is such a peaceful spot and well worth the additional 800m.
6. Franz Josef Glacier Walk - for the most popular viewpoint in the area
Distance: 600m each way
Elevation gain: 15m
Difficulty: Easy
The Franz Josef Glacier Walk is (sadly) only partially open nowadays due to severe flooding in the valley. Whilst it’s a shame that the walk is now a lot shorter, it still offers a wonderful view of the valley and distant look at the glacier.
Due to how much it has receded, it is a more distant view than it used to be, but the whole scene is still undeniably pretty and it’s a very easy walk.
The path is gravel all the way and flat at first before heading ever so gently uphill to the viewpoint.
You’ll find some benches so you can sit and relax, and if you go early or late you’ll be able to enjoy the stunning scene without the crowds.
7. Okarito Trig - for a breathtaking mountain panorama
Distance: 4km return
Elevation gain: 200m
Difficulty: Easy
The view from Okarito Trig is sensational. Not only do you have a panorama of the snow-capped Southern Alps (including Aoraki Mount Cook and Franz Josef Glacier) you will also see three gorgeous beaches and the glistening lagoon.
It really is a view to remember.
The walk to get there is basically all uphill and steep at points, but the track is gravel and very well maintained. It’s predominantly through the forest, but you do get the occasional view out to the ocean.
This is one walk you do need to do on a clear day though, the wow is the view at the top, not the walk itself. Check out this guide for more detailed information on the trail.
8. Peters Pool - for a little known beautiful mirror lake
Distance: 520m each way
Elevation gain: Flat
Difficulty: Easy
Peters Pools is a truly beautiful kettle lake which offers a magnificent mountain reflection on a windless day. The first time we saw the pool it had half frozen over, obscuring some of the reflection.
We still found it beautiful, but were blown away when we returned a few months later and saw the mirror image in all its glory.
The walk to get there is very easy, along a well maintained gravel path, which is almost entirely flat. Despite how lovely it is, we never saw anyone else there and it was a serene place to sit and stare up at the mountains.
If you walk the slightly longer route to Roberts Point, you will pass Peters Pool on the way.
9. The Terrace Walk - for a fun night time adventure
Distance: 940m return
Elevation gain: 20m
Difficulty: Easy
The Terrace Walk is nice enough in the day - taking you through a pretty patch of forest - but it’s at night when it truly comes alive! Glow worms illuminate the overhangs and gnarled tree trunks giving the whole trail a fairytale like quality.
It’s a very easy night time adventure because the path is gravel and well graded, so you don’t need to worry about watching your feet and can concentrate on the magical scene unfolding.
Although glow worms are scattered along much of the track, if you don’t want to walk far, the best spot was 160m into the walk on the right-hand side. You’ll see a little gravel path which leads you to a large bush with a dense covering of twinkling blue lights.
It’s definitely one of the things you shouldn’t miss when visiting Franz Josef.
If you love this walk then we’d highly recommend also checking out the Minnehaha Track in Fox Glacier at night too!
10. Lake Gault - for one of the West Coast’s best kept secrets
Distance: 8.6km return
Elevation gained: 340m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
If you’re a lover of hidden gems, then look no further than the spellbinding Lake Gault.
It’s a spectacular lake with a backdrop of Aoraki Mount Cook and the surrounding mountains, which create a mirror image in the water on a calm day.
The walk to get there branches off the Lake Matheson Track and heads uphill on a well graded gravel path. It’s a pretty consistent climb to the top but it’s oh so worth it. Your reward is the wonderfully secluded lake, which you’ll likely only share with the resident tui, or maybe a kea or two.
You need very good conditions to experience the lake reflection though and we’ll tell you the exact wind measurements required in this detailed guide to Lake Gault.
11. Sentinel Rock Walk - for the best easy to access glacier view
Distance: 600m each way
Elevation gain: 45m
Difficulty: Easy
The Sentinel Rock Walk offers the best view of the glacier that doesn’t really require any effort to reach! A short walk along the gravel path will take you up to a lookout offering a staggering view of the valley, with Franz Josef Glacier in the distance.
The mountains look incredible and if you look hard enough you can even see the tiny little Roberts Point swing bridge!
It’s quite confronting to see the information panels detailing the sheer extent to which the glacier has receded and the sign with a projection for what it might looked like in 2100 looked scarily similar to how it actually looks in 2021.
That aside, it’s a fabulous short track which branches off the Franz Josef Glacier Walk. It’s flat, followed by a tiny little climb towards the end.
12. Galway Beach Track - for an amazing beach and cute seal colony
Distance: 12.5km
Elevation gain: 246m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
The Galway Beach Track is a really varied trail with so much to offer; from wild beaches and epic mountain views, to an old mining tunnel and hopefully a seal colony awaits you at the grand finale.
It is however, a more rustic affair than any of the other tracks on this list and when you get a rustic trail in the West Coast, it usually means one thing. Mud. And lots of it. If that doesn’t deter you, the pay off is big. We couldn’t get over the mountain views, or the delightfully remote feel at Galway Beach.
We sadly didn’t walk quite far enough to find the seal colony, much to our dismay when we realised afterwards, so we’ve put all the details in this guide so the same doesn’t happen to you!
A note on hiking in Franz Josef
Some of these trails require certain conditions to maximise the wow factor and we have specific weather related tips (including what time the clouds usually roll over the peaks) in each individual trail guide. You might notice that the Canavans Knob Track is not on our list, we have done it, but we didn’t really rate it so haven’t included it.
A couple of the trails are quite remote - not in distance from the town - but in terms of terrain and phone signal, so it’s good to be mindful of the weather forecast and bring good layers and plenty of food and water.
It’s a good idea to always carry repellant with you to ward off the sandflies.
Where to stay in Franz Josef
Aspen Court Franz Josef
We’ve stayed in several places in Franz Josef in the past but we won’t be staying anywhere other than Aspen Court from now on. The motel rooms (we stayed in the one bedroom apartment) are large and spotlessly clean with small kitchenettes (including two hobs) so self catering is easy.
The spa baths are the perfect spot to wind down after a big day exploring and there is actual central heating - none of those less than stellar heat pumps here.
It’s right in town, yet quiet, and the view from the bedroom (in the one beds) is out onto a sea of tree ferns. I kept the blinds up and slept looking at the stars!
You can check out the prices and other reviews on:
Also just in case there’s any doubt - we paid full price for our room : )
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