Copland Track

One of New Zealand's great alpine traverses, the Copland Track cuts deep into the West Coast's wild heart, leading you from the lush rainforest of the Karangarua Valley to the raw geothermal spectacle of Welcome Flat Hot Pools. This is a tramp that rewards you with steaming riverside soaks beneath the Southern Alps, where misty valleys and glacier-carved peaks frame every step. It's a quintessential West Coast experience: untamed, remote, and utterly memorable.

Highlights & What to See

• Welcome Flat Hot Pools – Natural hot springs nestled beside the Copland River, perfect for a long soak after a day's hiking. The contrast of cold river water and warm pools is sublime.
• Alpine scenery – As you ascend, the valley opens to reveal stunning views of the Copland Glacier, hanging valleys, and sheer rock faces that define the Southern Alps.
• Dense rainforest – The lower section of the track winds through primeval podocarp forest, alive with ferns, mosses, and the sound of bellbirds.
• Historic huts – The track is serviced by two Department of Conservation huts: Welcome Flat Hut (with its own hot pools) and Douglas Rock Hut, offering basic but atmospheric shelter.

Suggested Time to Spend

Most walkers allow three days for the return journey, staying two nights in the huts. A typical itinerary: day one from the road end to Welcome Flat Hut (about 3–4 hours), day two exploring the upper valley or pushing towards the Copland Pass (a serious alpine route requiring experience), and day three returning to the carpark. Day-walkers can reach the hot pools in a single long day (6–8 hours return), but an overnight stay fully captures the magic.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Fox Glacier & Franz Josef Glacier – The two great West Coast glaciers are a short drive north, offering guided ice walks and stunning valley viewpoints.
• Gillespies Beach – A wild black-sand beach near Fox Glacier, perfect for seal spotting and coastal walks.
• Lake Matheson – Famous for its mirror reflections of Aoraki/Mount Cook, just a short detour from the Copland Track trailhead.
• Haast Pass & Blue Pools – Drive south through the dramatic Haast Pass, with short walks to the Blue Pools and Thunder Creek Falls.

Please check official sources for current details.