Hiking in Mount Cook

New Zealands highest mountain and national park with a quirky village to base yourself for incredible high alpine hikes and tours and views of the country's glaciers

Go hiking in Mount Cook with curated guides of the best hikes across the region. With over 60 3D trail maps in FATMAP, you can easily discover and navigate the best trails in Mount Cook.

No matter what your next adventure has in store, you can find a guide on FATMAP to help you plan your next epic trip.

Get a top hiking trail recommendation in Mount Cook from one of our 8 guidebooks, or get inspired by the 60 local adventures uploaded by the FATMAP community. Start exploring now!

Hiking Routes in Mount Cook

The Hooker Valley Track

Boasting stunning views of the Mueller Glacier, Hooker Lake and Aoraki/Mount Cook, the Hooker Valley Track is a justifiably popular hike on New Zealand's South Island.

Easy Hiking

Distance: 10 km
Ascent: 203 m
Descent: 202 m

Alex Knob Track

A challenging, but rewarding, track up to Alex Knob, with its stunning views over the Franz Josef Glacier.

Difficult Hiking

Distance: 15 km
Ascent: 1.1 km
Descent: 1.1 km

Ball Pass - The Traditional Route

A 2-3 day mountaineering adventure crossing the Mount Cook Range

Extreme Hiking

Distance: 27 km
Ascent: 1.8 km
Descent: 1.7 km

Lake Tekapo Hut to Hut Trek - Falcon’s Nest to Lady Emily Hut

Adventurous multi-day trekking in the Lake Tekapo, Mackenzie High Country

Severe Hiking

Distance: 6.5 km
Ascent: 613 m
Descent: 594 m

Lake Tekapo Overnight Hike to Lady Emily Hut

An adventurous alpine hike in the Lake Tekapo, Mackenzie High Country

Difficult Hiking

Distance: 1.7 km
Ascent: 403 m
Descent: 3 m

Hooker Valley Track

Hike to the Hooker Glacier Lake and enjoy stunning views of New Zealand’s highest peak Aoraki Mount Cook and the Southern Alps.

Easy Hiking

Distance: 5.2 km
Ascent: 160 m
Descent: 44 m

Copland Pass - the modern route

Copland / Fitzgerald Pass is a challenging alpine crossing of the Southern Alps from the Hooker Valley to the Copland Valley. It follows the Jubilee Route over Fitzgerald Pass which is the modern alternative to the historic Copland Pass route across the Main Divide.

Extreme Hiking