Bealey Chasm

Overview

About Bealey Chasm

Bealey Chasm is the park’s quick-hit spectacle: a narrow gut in hard alpine rock where the Bealey River squeezes and thunders beneath a sturdy footbridge. It’s an effortless payoff—minutes from the road, big sound, swirling whitewater, and polished stone showing river power up close.

Why stop

Super-short walk to a dramatic river slot under a footbridge
Easy add-on views toward Mt Rolleston if you continue a few minutes

Heads up

No facilities at the site
Beyond the chasm the valley is avalanche-prone in winter

Map

Where it is

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Full map

SightBealey Chasm-42.91714, 171.55676

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Bealey Chasm

Park at the pullout opposite Jacks Hut and follow Bealey Valley Track signs.
Stop at the bridge for the chasm, then continue a few minutes for Mt Rolleston views.
In winter, treat the chasm as your turnaround; beyond here is avalanche country.
Do not scramble down to the river—flows surge and rocks are extremely slippery.
Late summer/autumn can bring wasps in beech forest; wear light colors and carry antihistamines if needed.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Year‑round, but go early morning or late afternoon for softer light and fewer people. Weekends and midday see the most traffic. In winter, enjoy the short walk to the chasm and skip any further travel up the valley when avalanche season is on.

Getting There & The Walk

Park opposite historic Jacks Hut on SH73, about 2.5–3 km north of Arthur’s Pass village. Follow signs for the Bealey Valley Track; it’s roughly five minutes to the bridge over the chasm. The track is well built with steps and boardwalks. If you’ve got a little more time, continue a few minutes to a snow‑grass clearing for views toward Mt Rolleston, or carry on to the official end at the Bealey River in about 20–30 minutes total.

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InfoArthur’s Pass Visitor Centre operating from temporary buildingThe Arthur’s Pass National Park Visitor Centre is operating from a temporary portacom because the old visitor-centre building is closed for renovation.Official details

Arthur's Pass alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Arthur's Pass Tour Guide

Your drive to Bealey Chasm, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Arthur's Pass 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 place

Bealey Chasm and Historic Jacks Hut

Listen

“You're approaching an area with a couple of great, quick stops right off the highway. From the Bealey Valley car park, a short five-minute walk takes you to a footbridge hanging right over Bealey Chasm.”

Plays as you drive up to Bealey Chasm in the Parkwolf Arthur's Pass Tour Guide.

More about Bealey Chasm

What You’ll SeeAt the bridge, the river funnels through a rock slot and even disappears underground in places.

At the bridge, the river funnels through a rock slot and even disappears underground in places. Expect cascades over boulders and classic Southern Alps greywacke scoured smooth by floods. On clear days, the backdrop of high peaks makes this tiny stop feel big.

Safety NotesStay on the formed track and bridge; don’t scramble down to the water—flows rise fast and rocks…

Stay on the formed track and bridge; don’t scramble down to the water—flows rise fast and rocks are slick. Beyond the chasm, the Bealey Valley is specifically avalanche‑prone in winter; heed the end‑of‑track warning signs and turn back when advised. Mountain weather can change quickly—carry layers, rain protection, sun protection, food, water, and sturdy footwear year‑round. No toilets or drinking water at the site.

WildlifeKea are frequently seen around the village and lookouts—curious, charismatic, and cheeky.

Kea are frequently seen around the village and lookouts—curious, charismatic, and cheeky. Please don’t feed them. In the beech forest, listen for bellbird/korimako, tomtit/miromiro, rifleman/titipounamu, and fantail/piwakawaka; keep an eye on stony river margins for whio/blue duck.

A Bit of History Next DoorJacks Hut across the highway is a restored 19th‑century roadman’s cottage—an easy peek into the…

Jacks Hut across the highway is a restored 19th‑century roadman’s cottage—an easy peek into the coach‑road era if you’re already parked here.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Arthur's Pass

All Arthur's Pass wildlife maps

977 sightingsKeaMost seen around noonSighting map

39 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 5 PMSighting map

189 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map

19 sightingsKākāMost seen around 8 AMSighting map

14 sightingsWekaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

15 sightingsParadise ShelduckMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Arthur's Pass. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.