A Night at Hooker Hut
a night at Hooker Hut
why you need to stay here + tips on booking, getting there and more
*this post includes an affiliate link
Have you ever slept in a New Zealand mountain hut? It’s an authentic Kiwi experience. Tramping in nature for hours to reach your bunk for the night, possibly to enjoy on your own, but most likely with other hikers. Comfort is debatable as well as noisy neighbors. Sleep isn’t always the best, but if you’ve chosen well, nothing matters when the view outside is yours. If you’ve planned well, it’s a chance at a million-dollar starry night sky. It’s an “it’s not about the destination and more about the journey” experience and one I highly recommend at least trying.
With almost 1,000 backcountry huts dotted across both islands, Hooker Hut is one of the most sought-after. It’s an easy hike to get there, plus it’s located off of one of New Zealand’s most iconic hikes. The hut sits in the Hooker Valley between glacier-filled mountains with a picture-perfect view of Aoraki/Mount Cook — a dream destination that I finally checked off with my family.
if you’re after booking tips, trail details, etc, scroll to the bottom.
Hooker Hut is the oldest hut in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, originally built in 1910. It’s moved four times thanks to the ever-changing glacier landscape and by 2015 it was removed due to its dilapidated state. In 2020, it was restored as a usable tramping hut and is now a bucket list destination for both locals and tourists.
It took three bookings to make it (cancellations due to sick kiddos), but third times a charm for the De Doms, snagging a night last October in the famous Hooker Hut.
One Monday in October, my husband, two kiddos and I hopped in the car to drive to Aoraki for a two-night adventure. Two fun challenges popped up before we even entered the National Park; first, a notification that the hut was out of firewood and second, the wind was making a strong appearance. So strong that it knocked an RV over on the only road into the park. Told it could be closed for the night, we panicked knowing our bed for the night was down that road, but after playing in Twizel for a few hours, it re-opened. To solve the first problem of no firewood, we decided to bring a bit from home to ward off the nightly chill. As this is a fairly easy and short track, Ryan volunteered to wake up early the day we were heading in to carry 10kgs of firewood to the hut. The kids and I slept peacefully in our family room at Unwin Lodge*, while Superdad took one for the team.
Tuesday morning was blissfully calm compared to the day before’s insane windstorm. We slowly packed up our bags for the overnighter while the kids ran around the Lodge. After lunch, we headed over to the trailhead to begin our adventure. As I said before, this track is super popular and that day it was the busiest I’ve ever seen it. rip covid times when we had it to ourselves. It’s a 10km return from Hooker Lake and back, but the trail to the hut is about two-thirds in. The kids started off walking well, but timing it with Oli’s nap, we popped him in the Trail Magik carrier and let him snooze while we weaved through the masses. '
use code viktoriawanders to save $$$ on the Trail Magik Carrier (affiliate link)
*If you didn’t know, Unwin Lodge is an alpine club member lodge located a few minutes from Mount Cook Village and they almost always have space no matter the time of year. If you live in New Zealand and tramp often, I’d look into their annual membership at ~$115 annually. We book their family room for ~$100/night (queen bed, set of bunks and enough space for the travel cot).
As we strolled with an endless stream of visitors, we eventually arrived at our crossroads. About two-thirds into the hike, across two scenic swing bridges, and at the start of the boardwalk, you’ll reach the trail to Hooker Hut. The area is marked with toilets and a few picnic benches and then just a simple orange triangle on the boardwalk pointing to a thin trail away from the main track. Most would miss it if they haven’t heard of the iconic hut and as soon as you take the other fork, the murmur of other walkers disappears and once again you are one with the landscape. As much as I love the Hooker Valley Track, it’s hard to enjoy these days with so many bodies taking the same steps.
We started our journey to the green and red hut, laughing as we jumped over muddy puddles and got stuck in mucky bogs. The trail veers left off the trail for a while, following the river, then heading above and over a little hill that hides the pretty hut from the main public eye. It’s about 15 minutes off the main track, but it feels miles away—our little oasis in the heart of the most beloved view in all of Aotearoa.
We cheered upon arrival and took in the views of our incredible home for the night. We basked in the sun, cracked a beer and watched the kids run around entertained by the excitement of a new adventure. Hours of exploring, rock throwing, snow eating, and pure happiness ran through each De Dom member. Dad cooked up burritos and we enjoyed them outside on the picnic table as the sun said good night. With the fire raging in our little hut, we put the kids down and Mum and Dad stayed up sipping wine. Before I forget, sometime around dinnertime, another tramper arrived with his tent and plans to shoot astrophotography. Ry and I climbed into bed, me on a bunk next to Lia who shimmied in and out of her sleeping bag all night long, at one point rolling off onto the floor, and Ryan cuddled up on the floor (on bunk mats) with Oli who was also rolling off said mats. Like I said, sleep is never great in a hut. At one point, I needed to use the bathroom, a long-drop toilet located up a set of stairs about a 100 metres from the hut. I headed outside sans glasses thinking I could pee a few steps away from the hut and found our new friend standing outside his tent taking photos. I squinted and stumbled to the staircase to use the toilet only to find it was occupied. By the local possum. Who stood his ground while hissing at me, the blind girl about to pee her pants. I bowed out, giving this creature the win and backed away slowly down the stairs. I tried to hide behind the hut, crawling over rocks that I couldn’t see to hide from my fellow hut friend and then with my head down, climbed back into bed wide awake hoping for a decent few hours of shuteye.
Needless to say, it was a poor night of sleep, but waking up underneath Maunga Aoraki made it all worthwhile.
We crawled outside for sunrise taking in the slow spill of sun brightening the peaks around us. We fueled up with on oatmeal, packed up and headed out by 9am. As reluctent we were to re-join the masses on Hooker Valley Track, we actually enjoyed a very quiet walk back to the carpark. Passing friendly hikers who cheered on the kids as they walked together the rest of the way (Oli was carried for about 15minutes).
It was the perfect family hut experience in easy one of the best spots in Aotearoa. If you have the chance to stay here, do it. Pitch a tent, grab a bunk, and spend a cosy evening under Aoraki.
how to spend a night at hooker hut
First and most important, book your spot. This small bunk sells out fast, but cancellations happen often and it’s worth checking the booking site often.
We booked this trip last minute after we noticed two nights available with zero beds booked and thankfully we had the entire hut to ourselves. Honestly, it would have been hard to share with strangers with our kids wriggling all night long.
Make your way to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. It’s a four hour drive from Christchurch and just over three from Queenstown.
Stop by the Aoraki Mount Cook Visitor Centre in Mount Cook Village to grab the key to the woodshed. If you have the time, spend 30 minutes learning about the region and tramping culture.
*head’s up there are no supermarkets in this tiny town, the closest is located in Twizel an hour away. The Hermitage Hotel gift store may have a few things to tie you over if you’re in a bind
Leave your wheels at White Horse Hill Campground.
Head out on the Hooker Valley Track crossing two remarkable swing bridges through a valley where glaciers and avalanches tower above.
Reach Stocking Stream where the only public bathrooms are on the track and just past these you’ll find a small orange triangle on the edge of the boardwalk.
This is your secret signal to your abode for the evening. While the others continue onward, your path winds on a skinny trail through tall grass with boggy bits and only a tad of elevation. After around 15 to 20 minutes, your oasis will appear.
time/distance:
Give yourself ~ two hours each way to Hooker Hut. It’s only an additional 1.5km from the boardwalk to Hooker Lake which I highly recommend doing if you haven’t.
~8km return from the carpark to Hooker Hut
10km return from carpark to Hooker Lake
Cost:
HUT: Adult (18+ years): $30 per night, Child/youth (5–17 years): $15 per night, Infant: (0–4 years): free
CAMPSITE: Adult (18+ years): $15 per night, Child/youth (5–17 years): $7.50 per night, Infant: (0–4 years): free
***on July 1, 2024, hut fees increase by $10/per adult, $5/per child (new price $40/per adult, $20 per kid over 5)
Hut details:
8 bunk beds (2 in kitchen/shared space, 6 in bunk room, but can still hear every movement in either room)
3 tent spaces, two people per pitch allowed.
Fireplace + wood
Long drop toilet
Untreated water
Gas cookers
last tips:
warm up with the fire, but keep it low as it gets later into the night. This hut heats up fast and I was uncomfortably warm on a cold night.
explore the area around the hut, pop up the hill in front of the hut and watch all the day hikers march along the boardwalk
stay up for sunset and wake up for sunrise, you won’t regret it!
add on extra time to make it to Hooker Lake
it’s possible to stay here all year long, but in winter be weary of icy trails, frigid temps and short daylight.
Thanks for reading and please reach out if you have any questions, feel free to comment below!
happy hiking
- Tor