Hooker Valley Track: to the lake below Aoraki
From White Horse Hill through the Hooker Valley, over three suspension bridges.
The Hooker Valley Track starts at White Horse Hill car park, five minutes' drive from Aoraki/Mount Cook village, and leads through the Hooker Valley to Hooker Lake at the foot of Aoraki/Mount Cook. DOC calls it one of New Zealand's best day walks. The track is gravel with some steps and climbs only 80 m (262 ft) over 5 km (3.1 mi).
The valley is sacred to Ngāi Tahu and has Tōpuni status. In April 2025 DOC had to close the second suspension bridge because rain and storms had eroded the riverbank at its foundations. Since 28 July 2026 a new bridge has crossed the Hooker River: 189 m (620 ft) long, the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand, built for NZ$4.85 million.
The new bridge brought more visitors. On the 47-year-old first bridge, engineers found wear on the cables; no more than 20 people may be on it at a time. In September 2026 DOC announced a self-closing gate at each end and rangers on duty at peak times.
DOC: Hooker Valley Track (sections, new suspension bridge, White Horse Hill parking fees) ↗
In numbers
- Each way
- 5 km
- Height gain
- 80
- Return
- 3–4 hours
- Suspension bridges
- 3
- New bridge
- 189 m
- First bridge
- max. 20 people
- Parking per day
- NZ$25
- Lake water
- about 3 °C
