On a typically wet and cloudy visit to Franz Josef Glacier we wanted to at least get a good look at the glacier before moving on to our next destination. We did get a look from Rata Lookout two days earlier on the Alex Knob Track, however with some clear weather on the morning we left we stopped to do two very short walks, both with glacier views: The Forest Walk to Glacier View (the first part of the Franz Valley Track), and the Sentinel Rock Walk, which is a short side trip up a hill. You get a decent look at the quickly receding Franz Joseph Glacier from the end of these tracks, however the highlight is probably the overall Franz Valley.
When conditions allow you can walk much closer to the glacier on the Franz Valley Track, but after some consistent rain the Waho River was high and they closed the track beyond a view point on the Forest Walk. The views in my photos below are the very minimum you can expect in clear weather.
Track notes at the end.
Forest Walk and Sentinel Rock Walk, Franz Josef Glacier: The Scenery
Track Notes
Both of these walks are very short and easy. The DOC website has more info on these and more in the area. We also did the Lake Wombat Track, and the full day Alex Knob Track.
The track to Lake Wombat is also constructed and that’s a reasonably short walk. Continuing to Alex knob is a much longer route, and only for prepared hikers as there is a bit of scrambling here and there, and you rise above the bushline and can expect all sorts of weather. As you can see on the map there are other options in the area including the Roberts Point Track, which is also a route for experienced hikers.
