Hike to the Rob Roy Glacier

Mount Aspiring, New Zealand

5.0/5

based on 3 reviews

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Details

Distance

6.2 miles

Elevation Gain

1625 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Scott Nichols

Take in stunning glacier, alpine, and waterfall views on this easy, well-marked trail.

Follow the Wanaka-Mount Aspiring Rd. west of Lake Wanaka. The pavement turns into a dirt road shortly after you drive around the lake. You will drive for about an hour, then park at Raspberry Flats in the Matukituki Valley. From the Raspberry Flats lot, the trailhead begins at the swing bridge about 15 minutes away.

Once you cross the bridge over the glacier blue water of the West Matukituki River, the trail winds up through a beautiful beech forest along a dramatic gorge for 4.9 km (3 mi), then opens up to amazing panoramic alpine views of the glacier and surrounding waterfalls.

For current weather conditions, visit the Department of Conservation's Visitor Center (Ardmore St, Wanaka, New Zealand).

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Camping

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Hiking

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Easy Parking

Forest

Scenic

Waterfall

Reviews

Explorer

Katie Kessel

Explorer

Hike to the Rob Roy Glacier

04/30/18

This was definitely a highlight of my trip to the south island last summer. The walk itself was stunning and the glacier was breathtaking. If you're using a rental and wary of taking it along the long gravel road, there are places in town that rent 4x4s specifically for this trip.

5.0

Frankie S

Hike to the Rob Roy Glacier

12/21/17

The drive and hike are incredible scenic. I'm going to have to say this was a pretty solid and long hike. Bring plenty of water, snacks and a camera with tons of memory card space. Hike dips in and out of glacial valleys filled with waterfalls, river beds and beautiful New Zealand greenery.

5.0

Maggie Evans

Hike to the Rob Roy Glacier

04/07/16

This relatively short hike gives you a great taste for New Zealand backcountry and the Mount Aspiring National Park in particular. It can get crowded, especially in summer, so I suggest getting to the car park super early in the morning to avoid the masses

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Hike to the Rob Roy Glacier

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