The Hooker Valley Track at a glance
The Hooker Valley Track starts at the White Horse Hill car park in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and ends at Hooker Lake, where icebergs float below the mountain. You return the same way. There are three swing bridges on the route. DOC gives the stages one way, and adding them up gives about 5 km and 1 hour 30 minutes, or 10 km and 3 hours return without breaks.
The valley is sacred to Ngฤi Tahu. DOC describes its Tลpuni status as a symbolic cloak of protection, so stay on the track and take your rubbish with you. Pets, drones and fires are not allowed in the park.
Walk time and stages
One way from the car park, using the stages DOC lists.
| Stage | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Car park to the first bridge | 1 km | 15 min |
| First bridge to the second bridge | 1.5 km | 30 min |
| Second bridge to Hooker Lake | 2.5 km | 45 min |
| Total one way | 5 km | 1 h 30 min |
| Total return | 10 km | 3 h |
The totals are our sums of the DOC stages, and they leave out photo stops. Plan 4 hours return if you want time at the lake. The Tekapo day trip is planned to reach the valley at about 11:30. If you have a day to spare, the Tasman Glacier viewpoint and the other walks near the village are shorter.
Our picks: day trips to Mount Cook
Day tours from Queenstown, Tekapo and Christchurch. On the Hooker Valley Track you walk on your own.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Small-group day tour from Queenstown to Hooker Valley
Pick-up and return in Queenstown with a local guide and driver, plus snacks and water. Lunch is not included, and you walk the Hooker Valley on your own.
Check availability โMount Cook and Lake Tekapo from Christchurch
A 13-hour small-group day tour by air-conditioned minibus with a guide, lunch, water and snacks. Hotel pick-up covers selected central Christchurch hotels. Guided hikes in the park are not included.
Check availability โ
Day trip from Tekapo via Lake Pukaki and Tasman Lake
A shuttle day tour of about 8.5 hours with water, snacks, Wi-Fi and USB chargers, plus snow spikes when it is snowy. Lunch is not included.
Check availability โMount Cook tours near the Hooker Valley
Scenic flights, glacier boat trips and stargazing around Aoraki/Mount Cook, with live prices and availability.
Bridges and current status
The track is open to Hooker Lake again. Read the notes below before you set out.
The new second bridge
DOC announced that the new bridge would open on the afternoon of 28 July 2026, and it has been open since July. At 189 m it is the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand, according to DOC. Construction began in August 2025, and a notice of 13 April 2026 moved the opening from an earlier hoped-for autumn date to late July or early August.
The 20-person limit at the first bridge
On 22 September 2026 DOC warned about cable wear on the first bridge. Only 20 people may be on it at once, and DOC called a crossing within that limit safe. DOC also announced self-closing gates to manage this. We cannot say whether they are installed, so wait your turn if people are queuing.
Why the old bridge closed
The old second bridge was closed for good after bank erosion, in a notice of 23 April 2025. Only the lower track stayed open until the new bridge was finished.
Check before you go
The track is open as a whole, but bad weather can still close a section at short notice. Read the current DOC notices at the visitor centre or online on the morning of your walk.
Weather and seasons โGetting to the track and parking
The car park is at the end of Hooker Valley Road. From Mount Cook Village it takes about 5 minutes by car. DOC gives 50 minutes from Twizel and 1 hour 30 minutes from Tekapo.
Parking at White Horse Hill costs NZ$2.50 per half hour, up to NZ$25 per day, as of 2026. If you leave within 20 minutes, you pay nothing. Payment is by card, not cash, and you cannot reserve a space. A permit does not guarantee a free spot. If you arrive on one day and leave on the next, DOC lists NZ$50. Parking overnight does not allow you to sleep in the vehicle, and camping in the car park is not allowed. DOC can issue a breach notice of NZ$75 if you do not pay. The park's main page lets you pay on arrival or before you leave, while the track page asks you to pay on arrival if you plan a long stay. Paying on arrival is the safe choice.
Without a car, the Tekapo Shuttle day trip stops at the valley and runs a link between the car park and the village in the afternoon. It does not guide the walk. See getting there.
Winter, lakes and what to carry
The walk is easy underfoot, but it is high in the mountains.
Winter
DOC recommends microspikes and walking poles when the track is icy. Check the conditions at the visitor centre before you set out.
Lakes and icebergs
Do not walk on the lakes, on lake ice or on icebergs. DOC warns of hypothermia and of breaking through. Keep to the track.
Weather
Nobody can promise a clear view of the summit. If cloud sits on the mountain, you still get the bridges and the lake. A longer day lets you wait for a gap.
Walking more tracks? The sister guides cover the west coast and Fiordland, from glacier walks at Franz Josef to the Milford Track.
More around Aoraki/Mount Cook
Pages that fit a day in the valley.
Hooker Valley Track: frequently asked questions
How long does the Hooker Valley Track take?
About 1 hour 30 minutes one way and 3 hours return without breaks, adding up the DOC stages. The distance is about 5 km one way and 10 km return. Plan for 4 hours if you want to stay at the lake.
Is the Hooker Valley Track open?
Yes. DOC describes the new second bridge as open since July 2026, so the track runs to Hooker Lake again. Weather can still close sections at short notice, so check the current DOC notices.
Why is there a limit of 20 people on the first bridge?
DOC reported cable wear on 22 September 2026 and set a limit of 20 people at a time. DOC says crossing within the limit is safe. Gates to control access were announced, and we cannot confirm they are in place.
Does parking at White Horse Hill cost money?
Yes. It costs NZ$2.50 per half hour, up to NZ$25 per day, as of 2026, and you pay by card. The first 20 minutes are free if you leave within that time. The Tasman Valley car park is free.
Can I walk into the lake or onto the icebergs?
No. DOC advises you not to go into the lakes, onto lake ice or onto icebergs. There is a danger of hypothermia and of breaking through the ice.
Can I do the walk with a guided tour?
The Tekapo Shuttle day trip includes a stop at the valley but does not guide the walk. The operator says it has no guiding concession. Its stop is planned for about 11:30, and it depends on the weather.