The Department of Conservation (DOC) has reopened the lower section of the popular Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
This follows the closure of the upper track due to riverbank erosion of the Hooker Valley Suspension Bridge. A new 189-metre suspension bridge is under construction and is expected to open by next autumn.
Visitors can now access the track up to the first suspension bridge, approximately a one-hour return walk from the White Horse Hill carpark. The upper section remains closed during construction, which involves helicopter operations. Sally Jones, DOC’s Aoraki Mount Cook Operations Manager, emphasised safety as the top priority.
Map of the current closures on the Hooker Valley Track
Alternative walks such as the Kea Point Track, Sealy Tarns, Mueller Hut, and the Tasman Blue Lakes remain open, offering stunning views of Aoraki/Mount Cook. The Hooker Valley Track is one of New Zealand’s most visited trails, attracting over a million visitors annually.
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