One of the best things to do on the West Coast of New Zealand’s Southern Alps is to go on the Franz Josef Glacier Walk.
While Glenn and I were unsuccessful in hiking to the Fox Glacier (for good reasons I mention later), we did manage to make it to the incredible Franz Josef Glacier in Tai Poutini National Park, and we ended up having such a great time on this short day hike.
That’s why, we’ve decided to dedicate a full blog post to it.
So in this travel guide, we will first go through all the need-to-know information about the Franz Josef Glacier Walk such as historical facts, what to bring on the walk, the hike time, difficulty and distance, and what else you can do in the area. Afterwards, we’ll share our own experience on the track.
Our hope is that when you’re done reading this, you’re either fully prepared to do the hike yourself or you’ve just enjoyed a bit of armchair-traveling.
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About the Franz Josef Glacier Walk
This part of the blog is useful to those of you who are looking to do the hike and want a bit of practical information beforehand. Hopefully, it’ll help you prepare for your day at the glacier.
Why the glacier is named Franz Josef
First of all, why is it named the Franz Josef Glacier Walk? Who is this Franz fella?
Apparently, the glacier was discovered by a German geologist, Julius von Haalst, who named it after Franz Joseph I (the emperor of Austria from 1848 – 1916). That’s it. I’m not sure whether this name has a deeper meaning or if the Austrian Emperor actually ever saw the glacier himself.
The Māori name and history of the glacier
Like most attractions and landmarks in New Zealand, the Franz Josef glacier also has a Māori name and history. The Māori name is “Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere” which means “The Tears of Hine Hukatere”.
This Māori name originates from a sad love story.
Legend has it that Hine Hukatere, who loved to climb in the mountains, lost her beloved lover Wave in an avalanche. Her grief was so strong that she cried a whole river of tears, which flowed down the mountain. The gods then froze her tears, which resulted in the glacier that we see today. That’s why the glacier is named “The tears of Hine Hukatere”.
So which name do you prefer? Franz Josef Glacier or Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere?
We absolutely love the Māori name and history, and we find it very beautiful.
Franz Josef Glacier Walk time, distance & difficulty
Walk time: 1,5 hours
Distance: 5,4 Km
Difficulty: Easy
What to bring for the hike
Here is what you should bring for this short day hike:
- Sunscreen
- Good walking shoes
- An extra layer of clothes
- At least 1 liter of water and a snack
The hike doesn’t require that much preparation because it’s only 5,4 kilometers long. That being said, it’s always a good idea to be prepared with basic needs such as good shoes, an extra layer of clothes, and enough water to keep yourself hydrated (especially on hot summer days!), plus a snack if you go low on sugar.
However, if you choose to do the Heli Hike on top of the glacier, then make sure to also pack some suitable footwear and clothes.
Related post: What to bring on a day hike?
Is Franz Josef Glacier walk and car park free?
Yes! The Franz Josef glacier walk and car park is completely free.
The best thing about New Zealand is that nature is free. There is no national park entrance fee or any of the kind. And as long as we take care of the precious nature, then it will hopefully stay that way, so everyone can enjoy the beautiful nature.
You’ll find the car park by turning off the New Zealand State Highway 6 and onto Franz Josef Glacier Road that follows Waiho River. Don’t worry, it’s really hard to miss.
Related post: New Zealand driving tips
Franz Josef Glacier tours & hikes
The popular walk that Glenn and I did isn’t the only way to experience the Franz Josef Glacier. In fact, there are several other ways that you can see the glacier on your trip to New Zealand.
If you have more time, then you can do the longer (and more challenging) Robert’s Point Track. It’s an 11-kilometer hike where you’ll cross swing bridges and tramp through the rainforest before reaching a great viewpoint of the glacier.
If you want to get the ultimate experience of Franz Josef Glacier, then check out the following tours that you can do in the area:
- Want to learn about the flora and fauna on the trail? Join a Franz Josef nature tour.
- Want to see the glacier from above? Check out Franz Josef helicopter flight.
- Want to go on a hike on top of the glacier? Go on a Franz Josef helicopter flight & glacier hike.
- Want to see both Franz Josef and Fox Glacier in one day? Check out this Twin helicopter flight that will fly over both glaciers in one trip.
- Want to get high on adrenaline? Go Tandem skydiving over the glaciers.
As you can see, there are several ways you can go and experience the Franz Josef Glacier. We never did any of the tours because we were on a tight budget, but we would have LOVED to do the tour with the helicopter flight and glacier hike combined. Who knows? Maybe some day.
Our story hiking the Franz Josef Glacier Walk
All right! Now that you have all the information you need to do the hike yourself, it’s time that we share our story from the Franz Josef Glacier trail. So it begins!
1. Trying to reach the Fox Glacier Walk
There are several glaciers in the Alps of New Zealand, and we had first decided to visit the Fox Glacier. However, as per usual, Glenn and I didn’t do our research well enough.
So, when we turned down Fox Glacier Road and reached a roadblock, we realized that the Fox Glacier Walk wasn’t going to happen. Apparently, The Fox Glacier Road had been closed for a while due to a flood that had washed away several parts of the road.
But we decided not to give up, yet.
We parked our van and followed the Fox Glacier South Side Walk through the rainforest. Once we reached a viewpoint 30 minutes later, and got a small glimpse of the Fox Glacier through the rainforest, we called the short hike a victory, and went back to the van.
However, we weren’t completely satisfied with our little glacier-glimpse. So we decided to head towards Franz Josef Glacier, which is only 20 kilometers up the road.
2023 Update: We’re not sure whether the road is still closed or not. We’d love to hear about it in the comment section if you’ve been there recently.
2. Lunch with glacier view from the car park
When we pulled into the car park of the Franz Josef Glacier Walk, we were amazed with how many people were there. The car park was almost full.
It seemed that all of the tourists on the South Island’s West Coast were gathered here. Apparently, everyone had had the same idea as us – to go see the Franz Josef Glacier now that the Fox Glacier was closed.
When we first turned into the car park, we couldn’t see the Franz Josef Glacier because it was a bit cloudy. We actually didn’t even know that you could spot it from the car park…And since we were getting hungry after our little hike to the Fox Glacier Viewpoint (and the fact that it was lunch time), we decided to eat lunch before we embarked on the hike.
We made a Cup of Noodles, pulled out our picnic chairs, and did some people-watching in the car park.
Then all of a sudden, we saw it! The clouds started to lift and we suddenly had a clear view to the magnificent glacier. We love that while we were slurping cup noodles in a picnic chair in a car park – as hillbilly-like as it may sound – we had this picture perfect sight of the glacier in front of us.
We were so ready for the walk now.
3. An interesting viewpoint with a sad story
The first 15 minutes of the walk is through a little open forest, which is a classic New Zealand trail full of ferns (I absolutely love all the ferns in New Zealand).
When the first 15 minutes walk has passed, you reach a full view over the Franz Josef Glacier Valley. And if you turn your head to the right, you can spot a nice waterfall!
It’s a great place to stop hiking for a moment.
You’ll also see a tourist sign, which shows how the Franz Josef Glacier used to fill the whole valley in 1908. Isn’t that incredible? Today it has retreated all the way back into the mountains.
According to the sign, it can shift up to 5 meters a day! Knowing how quickly the glacier melts and retreats only made us appreciate the view and the walk even more.
4. Waterfalls in Franz Josef Glacier Valley
The next part of the walk is through the Franz Josef Glacier Valley.
The trail changes from an easy forest walk to a rougher terrain with small rocks and stones. It’s this part of the track that requires good walking shoes. But the trail is still pretty flat and easy to walk, so even if you have a poor fitness level, you should still be able to do this hike.
This part of the track takes about 30 minutes, and the further down the trail you get, the closer, the bigger, and the more impressive Franz Josef Glacier gets.
I really liked this part because you can spot so many waterfalls on the way, and it was incredible to think about the fact that I was walking on a trail that used to be covered by a glacier!
5. Making it to the Franz Josef Glacier Viewpoint
When you’re about 45 minutes into the hike, you’ll reach the end of the trail and the closest viewpoint of Franz Josef Glacier.
And WOW!
I was finding myself more impressed than I thought I would be. It was pretty incredible to stand so close to a river of ice which stretches many kilometers into the mountains and is said to be several thousands of years old!
By the viewpoint, you’ll also see a sign that warns you not to go any further. Tourists have been killed in glacier collapses and rockfalls before, so it’s important that you follow the rules for your own safety.
We really recommend you to just stay here for a while. It’s a highly touristic track, which means that tourists come and go quickly, so if you stay long enough, you’ll almost have the viewpoint to yourself at some point. It would also be a great place to eat lunch! Definitely beats the car park.
After spending 30 minutes taking pictures of the glacier and enjoying the view, we called it a successful day, returned back down the same trail, and continued our adventure in New Zealand.
Why you should do the Franz Josef Glacier Walk
We think that one of the best reasons to why you should do the hike is because the glacier is retreating fast. This means that the longer you wait, the less you will see of the glacier.
You should also do the hike because it’s an easy trail that doesn’t require a good fitness level or a whole day of hiking. Going for a short 5,4 kilometer walk is actually a nice break from all the driving that one does while visiting New Zealand’s South Island.
Plus, how often do you get to take cool pictures with a glacier in the background?!
We hope you enjoyed this blog post and hiking guide to the Franz Josef Glacier Walk. Make sure to stop by for a peek of the glacier if you ever find yourself on New Zealand’s South Island. If you have any questions about the Franz Josef Glacier hike, then don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading and happy travels!
Check out some other great day hikes in New Zealand:
Is it your first time in New Zealand? Make sure to read: Great things New Zealand is known for.
