Update to Hooker Valley Track – November 2025
Hooker Valley Track is open to Kakīroa/Mount Sefton View Lookout, closed beyond that point
Hooker Valley Track is open to Kakīroa/Mount Sefton View Lookout. The track is closed beyond this point as DOC is replacing the second bridge on the track. See map showing track closure
The full Hooker Valley Track will open again once the new bridge is built, likely in Autumn 2026. First published on 16 May 2025. Last reviewed on 13 August 2025.
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 near the second swing 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 carpark. The upper section remains closed during construction, which involves helicopter operations. Sally Jones, DOC’s Aoraki Mount Cook Operations Manager, emphasized safety as the top priority.
The Hooker Valley Track is one of New Zealand’s most visited trails, attracting over a million visitors annually
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.
For more information, visit the DOC website: www.doc.govt.nz