Parking
Start behind The Hermitage Hotel in Aoraki / Mount Cook Village.
Overview
About Glencoe Walk
Why go
- A short bush climb opens onto views of the village, Hooker Glacier and Aoraki / Mount Cook.
Heads up
- Steps and zigzags pack the climb into a short walk.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Aoraki / Mount Cook map
Full mapElevation773–827 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Aoraki / Mount Cook alerts
- CautionBall Hut Track: impassable gorge at Husky FlatThe Ball Hut Track is severely affected at Husky Flat; beyond the gorge there is no marked route. - A severe weather event significantly damaged the track and created a large, impassable gorge.Official details
- CautionHooker Valley Track: 20-person bridge limitNo more than 20 people may be on the first Hooker Valley Track suspension bridge at one time. DOC is enforcing the limit because cable wear has been identified on the 47-year-old structure.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Aoraki / Mount Cook Tour Guide
Your drive to Glencoe Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
The Hermitage and Hillary’s Alpine Centre0:00 / 0:34
“You're nearing The Hermitage, home to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. I'd allow about an hour for this compact museum and its films if you're interested in climbing history.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Aoraki / Mount Cook Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Visitor Centre and Old Mountaineers’ Café
- Village Petrol Pumps and Bowen Bush Walk
- Red Tarns from Bowen Drive
- Chamois Bar & Grill at Mt Cook Lodge
- 24 audio storiesacross Aoraki / Mount Cook’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Rockwren, New Zealand Falcon, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 15 trails, 30 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Glencoe Walk
Is this the quick lookout you want?Glencoe Walk is a 0.
Glencoe Walk is a 0.37-mile out-and-back from behind The Hermitage Hotel to a lookout near the water tanks. It takes about 30 minutes return and climbs about 40 m, so it’s a good pick for a short bush walk and a clear view without a long day on your feet. The lookout sits above the village, facing Hooker Glacier and Aoraki / Mount Cook.
The climb through tōtaraStart behind the hotel and follow the track as it zigzags through tōtara trees and ferns.
Start behind the hotel and follow the track as it zigzags through tōtara trees and ferns. The distance is short, but steps and a steady climb make it more than a flat stroll. You return the same way.
What you’ll see from the topThe lookout is near the prominent water tanks above The Hermitage.
The lookout is near the prominent water tanks above The Hermitage. Look back toward the village, then out to the white ice of Hooker Glacier and Aoraki / Mount Cook. Sunrise or sunset is a good time for the light on the mountains.
Dogs and dronesDogs aren’t allowed on this track. Drone flights on conservation land need a permit.
Dogs aren’t allowed on this track. Drone flights on conservation land need a permit.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Aoraki /
139 sightingsKeaMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
74 sightingsRockwrenMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
46 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
15 sightingsKererūMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
16 sightingsBellbirdMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
33 sightingsBlack-fronted TernMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Aoraki / Mount Cook. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
