Experience the magic of Hooker Hut, one of the ultimate spots for an unforgettable night in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park! Imagine having the stunning Hooker Valley all to yourself as you soak in the breathtaking sunset on New Zealand’s tallest mountain.
Length: 4.5km one-way
Time taken: 1-2 hours to Hooker Hut depending on your pace
Difficulty: easy
Facilities: Hooker Hut has 8 bunks (2 in main room, 6 in bunk-room), external water supply, fireplace, long-drop toilet, and cooking gas. Hooker Hut must be booked year-round and it books out quick. There are also three marked campsites at Hooker Hut. You can book the campsites here.
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Why Hooker Hut?
Aoraki National Park is one of the most spectacular places in Aotearoa. Nowhere else can you so easily get so close to the base of New Zealand’s highest mountains.
With a toddler in tow, I had my sights set on Hooker Hut. While there are other amazing hikes in Mt Cook, like Mueller Hut, Hooker Hut is an easy, short, and mostly flat trail. The payoff? A stunning view of New Zealand’s tallest peak. Hooker Hut has to be the best (easily accessible) accommodation in Aoraki National Park.
How to get to the Hooker Hut trailhead
The first 2/3 of the walk to Hooker Hut is on the Hooker Valley Track, which starts at Whitehorse Hill Campground and carpark, a five minute drive from Mt Cook Village. There are toilets (long-drop in winter) and a small shelter at Whitehorse Hill. Make sure you’re following the Hooker Valley Track to your right as you enter the carpark, and not Kea Point or Sealy Tarns tracks which also leave from the same carpark.
Day One – walking in to Hooker Hut
My parents teamed up with me, my husband and my 1.5 year old toddler for this trip. However two days before our planned trip, while phoning DOC to ask about the firewood situation, they notified us that the Hooker Valley Track was closed due to bad weather. I was over-dramatically devastated, but we decided to drive towards Mt Cook and hope for the best.
By the time we arrived in Mt Cook Village two days later, the track was still closed, but while having lunch we got the call from DOC that LandSAR had cleared it to open. We weren’t going to be homeless for the night, yay! We popped into the visitor centre to grab the key for the firewood shed. Our trip was go, baby!
We started the walk from Whitehorse Hill carpark, optimistically having the Little Adventurer walking on her own. We made it all of 150 metres in 15 minutes. And most of that was still in the carpark. Great. She was quickly put into the backpack carrier and then we were off properly.
Hooker Valley Track
The Hooker Valley Track is one of the most popular short walks in the country, and you can tell. The track is like a footpath. It’s busy, even in winter, even after being closed for half the day (or perhaps especially after being closed for half a day). But I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve walked it. It’s beautiful each and every time, in all conditions, and worth it even with the crowds.
With Little A happily in the backpack, we made good time. There are three large swing-bridges on the track. You cross the first two before turning off to Hooker Hut. As we crossed the second swing-bridge I could see why LandSAR are so concerned about poor weather conditions on the track.
Swing-bridges
I’d thought it was a bit over-eager of DOC to close the track for some rain, but the supports of the second bridge aren’t far away from being completely eroded. It was no wonder they wanted someone to physically check the track before opening it up to the public again! I wouldn’t be surprised if the track closes properly within the next year for bridge repairs or relocation.
But happily for us, the bridge was still safe to cross. Soon after this point we started to get views of Mr Cook himself. The morning cloud and rain had completely cleared, and we could see the iconic summit.
We didn’t encounter any snow or ice on the track in September. But a couple of weeks prior a friend had mentioned they’d wanted micro-spikes on their boots. The track was covered in the slippery ice, especially the bridges, making walking hazardous. If you’re heading in during the winter months, it’s a good idea to check the track conditions with DOC so you can be prepared.
The Route to Hooker Hut
After passing some toilets on our left, we soon reached the small bridge over Stocking Stream. This is the point where the Hooker Valley Track and the route to Hooker Hut diverge. There is no signage marking the route to Hooker Hut (to prevent lots of people visiting it each day). There is however a small orange triangle on the boardwalk subtly marking the way.
At this point Hooker Hut is still hidden away behind the moraine wall. The only way to see it, is to visit in person.
The track has become well trodden now and is relatively easy to follow compared to when the hut was first opened. However the track quality definitely degenerates compared to the highway that you’ve just been walking on! Because of all the recent rain, the route was quite muddy and boggy when we walked in.
The route is poled and heads upstream. Just as I was starting to think we must have missed the turn off to Hooker Hut (which I knew was hiding behind the moraine wall somewhere on our left) and were heading up to Sefton Bivy, the track turned. We climbed up a small amount to the plateau where Hooker Hut sits. Soon we caught the first view of the distinctive orange borders of the hut’s roof. We’d made it!
We made ourselves at home in the hut, before heading back out to soak in the amazing views. Dad, Mum and I headed up the moraine walk directly behind the hut (there was a faint trail from many other people doing the same). I knew to expect it, but the crumbling edge at the top of the wall still surprised me. Be careful if you head up! It’s very unstable. But the 360 degree views were jaw-dropping.
Hooker Hut
Hooker Hut is the oldest hut in Aoraki National Park, built in 1910. Originally situated at the base of Copland Pass, it has faced multiple relocations and rebuilds over the years due to a changing alpine and glacial landscape. In 2004, disaster struck when an avalanche hit the hut, prompting DOC to dismantle it and store it safely. Fast forward to 2020, and the restoration of Hooker Hut began in its new location, hidden away at the foot of the Mueller Lake moraine wall.
I’ve saved some videos of inside the hut if you want a hut tour, check them out on my Instagram story highlights.
Little A slept on a mattress on the floor between the bunks. The hut was toasty warm with the fire roaring (almost too warm in the main room). Matt and I taught Mum how to play Ks&As (called different names around the world including Scum and Président) and ate chocolate.
Later that evening once we’d all gone to sleep, Matt and I woke to Little A thrashing around in her infant sleeping bag. Once she’d settled back to sleep, I asked Matt, who was closest, to check on her. His reassuring reply was: “I can’t find her”.
Turns out she’s rolled off the mattress and onto the wooden floor under the opposite bunk, all while still happily fast asleep. She did this twice more before Matt ended up co-sleeping with her on the floor mattress (sleeping might be an optimistic word, I don’t think he slept much). I also didn’t get much sleep, waking often to check on the fire and stoke it back up, worrying about Little A getting too cold if the fire went out.
Day Two – visiting Hooker Lake
It had tried to snow on us overnight, with small, wet flakes sticking to my puffer when I got up to the toilet around 3am. When we woke, there was a magical sugar dusting of snow on the surrounding mountains, stopping just above the hut.
We had leisurely breakfasts and hot drinks while waiting for the morning to warm up. Little A thrived with all the adult attention. Then it was time to pack our gear, tidy and sweep the hut, lock the firewood shed and say goodbye!
As it so often does, the walk out to the Hooker Valley Track seemed shorter on the way back. It was surprising to see how low Stocking Stream had dropped. Its water source high up in the mountains above had frozen overnight and was no longer melting.
It was also a bit of a shock to the system to get back onto the well maintained Hooker Valley Track (similar feeling as when you go 4WD’ing and then hit the highway). There weren’t too many people early in the morning, but still more than zero, which is how many we’d seen since leaving the Hooker Valley Track the day before.
Hooker Lake
We dumped our packs (except for the baby carrier) behind some tussocks off the track, then continued up the track to Hooker Lake. It was a stunning day, the view of Aoraki was clear, the track wasn’t that busy and there were icebergs in the lake. You really can’t get much better than that. If you’re staying at Hooker Hut then the detour to Hooker Lake is a must-do!
Visiting Aoraki Mt Cook National Park with my toddler for the first time in her life was so special. And it was such a privilege to spend the night in Hooker Valley with a direct view of Aoraki with such good weather. I definitely didn’t take it for granted.
I would highly recommend a trip in to Hooker Hut whether you have young children or not! It’s honestly one of my favourite huts in the whole country and I’d love to go back, tomorrow.
Safety
As always, please stay safe when you’re out exploring. Follow the Outdoor Safety Code:
- Choose the right trip for you (read my article on tramping safety, talk to DOC)
- Understand the weather – although this is any “easy” walk, it’s still very exposed to bad weather
- Pack warm clothes and extra food
- Share your plans and take ways to get help (have an emergency beacon on your person)
- Take care of yourself and each other
If you’re not feeling super confident then you can always get in touch with me here on the blog or on my Instagram. Or take a look at my Tramping 101 series which includes this post about how to stay safe in the outdoors.
Also, check out my guide to New Zealand tramping etiquette – you really don’t want to be a dick, do you?
Stay safe and get outside!
Where to next?
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