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Franz Josef Glacier Walkway
Where is it?
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Head south from the Franz Josef township then turn left onto Glacier Access Rd. Starts from the car park at the end of the road.
Need to know
1hr 30min return; 5.4km
Low fitness required
Easy tramping track
No dogs
TRACK OVERVIEW
The first 15 minutes is an easy (fully accessible) forest walk from the car park to a river bank view of the glacier. It then follows markers in the riverbed past Trident Falls to a point close to the terminal face of the glacier. This is not a track but a route over the shingle and rock of the riverbed and it can be quite rough underfoot – make sure you have suitable footwear. The final section of track to the safety barriers includes a short climb to the viewing area. Do not go past the barriers and pay attention to all signage as areas of the valley are hazardous and are not safe for visitors. The glacier is constantly moving. Ice and rock fall from the terminal face without warning. Creeks may rise up to a metre in even moderate rain. Water levels rise in as little as 15 minutes. Please note: this is a beautiful yet dangerous place that is sometimes closed due to hazardous conditions, so please check doc.govt.nz before you start to check if it's open.
Guide, Franz Josef Glacier © Adobe Stock
