Hooker Lake

Start: Park in the White Horse car park and head for the building with the toilets.

(S/E) Head towards the building with the toilets. From the building, carry on in the same direction on a wide path and cross a small wooden bridge. The way ahead is obvious.

(1) Take a short detour to the Alpine Memorial on the left, in memory of mountaineers who died in the area. Then return to the path and continue.

(2) Take advantage of a small gap on the left to get a nice clear view of the Mueller glacial lake. Then return to the route. Cross the first suspension bridge, then the second and finally the third. Between the second and third bridges you'll find toilets, and the trail is sometimes built on stilts.

(3) Make a short detour to Alpine Tarn, a small lake offering a beautiful reflection of Mount Cook. Return to the main trail and continue gently uphill.

(4) Finally reach the viewpoint of Hooker Lake, the glacier and Mount Cook in the background. It is possible to descend to the "beach" for a break. Then return by the same route, although it may be worth making the detour via Alpine Tarn on the way back, as the lighting might have changed. Then return to the starting point (S/E).

Start: Park in the White Horse car park and head for the building with the toilets.

Facilities: Toilets at the start and along the way. The route is very busy, especially in the middle of the day.

Find more information about any closures and warnings on the DOC website here.