Sentinel Rock Walk
Franz Josef Glacier, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
9 Rankers Reviews
7 Face-to-Face
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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The extent of the glacier in times past
Information
If you don’t have the time or energy to do the whole Franz Josef Glacier Walk, then this taster still gets you to a viewpoint where you can see the ice.
Access
From Franz Josef township head south on SH6 over the Waihou River and then immediately left. The narrow road is 4 km to the parking area at the road end, from where the tracks are signposted.
There’s toilets and kea here.
Track
This wide and metalled track weaves through the regenerating forest.
Take a left at the signpost and weave up the track to the viewing platform.
Geology
Sentinel Rock is a resistant outcrop which blocked the glacier’s path. The rounded hummock has had it’s sharp edges smoothed by ice and is now conveniently placed in the valley centre to give a vantage point over it’s sculptor.
Flora
Note the forest here has only started to colonise since the retreat of the glacier around 100 years ago.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Central government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Franz Josef Glacier |
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Categories |
Reviews
Richard Clapton
Ranking: 7/10
Ok view of the glacier but you really have to do the 1.5 hour walk to get close and really appreciate its size. Soon it may be gone!
Mike Fricker
Ranking: 8/10
20Oct18. A good path up to the lookout. We were here in 2006 and it is surprising just how much the glacier has receded, even tho we all know about global warming. I suspect the longer walk would give much better views if you have the time. We elected to do the longer walk at Fox.
The road to the car park is well made but narrow in places and slow.
Claudia Hobbs
Ranking: 7/10
A well maintained path through rainforest, then along the valley. Although you are unable to get onto the glacier, the views from 450m back is impressive.
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Manu Liberta
Ranking: 10/10
A calm walk with a view of the glacier.
Jill Stebbing
Ranking: 8/10
Heavy rain had closed the walk to the Glacier face but the walk up Sentinel Rock gave us a reasonable view, albeit 2500m away.
Cori Schultz
Ranking: 9/10
Take the Sentinel Rock Walk, about 1.5 hours walk return, for free, but too less parking spots.
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Madelaine Sirch
Ranking: 7/10
Short walk (from the carpark it is approximately 10 minutes) and the best view of the Glacier!
Kim-Lara
Ranking: 9/10
The best view of the Glacier is from the Sentinel Rock, only 20 minutes walk from the carpark.
Lehmann
Ranking: 7/10
This walk, and also the Fox and Franz Josef glacier walks are all OK with children.
DOC Managed
Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍
