I honestly feel so lucky that I had so many incredible experiences during my year traveling around New Zealand. One of my top hikes in the entire country was Avalanche Peak, a prominent mountain in Arthur’s Pass. This is easily one of the best day hikes in all of New Zealand! Here’s everything you need to know about hiking Avalanche Peak.
Avalanche Peak Hike Overview
Distance: 10.5km (6.5 miles)
Time: 5.5 to 8 hours
Elevation Gained: 1104 meters (3621ft)
What to Pack for Hiking Avalanche Peak
This is a physically tough, challenging hike up a mountain – you need to be prepared. I recommend sturdy hiking boots with solid grip and ankle support, and absolutely bring hiking poles (buy on Amazon UK or Amazon US). Your knees will thank me later! The first part of the hike up is in the trees, but once you get past the tree line the terrain is completely exposed. There is no shade anywhere, so bring sunscreen and a hat. Waterproof layers are important as the weather can change quickly up here. Be sure to pack plenty of snacks and water to last you throughout the day.
Starting the Hike
There are two trails to Avalanche Peak: Avalanche Peak Track and Scotts Track. Most people do this route as a loop – I recommend going up Avalanche Peak Track, and going down Scotts Track. There are large car parks at both trailheads. Start early so you have plenty of time for this hike! I’d avoid starting the climb up during the heat of the day. The route is well-marked – once you get above the tree line, the trail is marked with poles all the way to the summit. Yellow is for Avalanche Peak, and orange is for Scotts Track.
Ascending Up Avalanche Peak
Avalanche Peak is a brutal hike, I won’t lie. You gain approximately 1100 meters of elevation over just 2.5km (1.5 miles)! This is the steepest and most physically challenging hike I’ve done to date. It’s a slog, with big steps and rocky bits that it’ll be easier to scramble up. The scenery opens up once you get out of the tree line, with mountains all around you. It might be tough going, but you’ll be surrounded by incredible views.
The hardest part for me was getting over one last hill, only to be greeted with a super-steep trail up through rocks for the last 150 meters of ascent.
Summiting Avalanche Peak
The trail is rocky with a little (very easy) scrambling around the peak. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the view: unbelievable 360-degree mountain scenery. Jagged mountaintops everywhere you turn. I almost cried, it was so beautiful! I got so, SO lucky with the weather when I did this hike – not a cloud in the sky. It took me 2 hours and 40 minutes to get up Avalanche Peak Track to the summit.
Descending Down Scotts Track
The junction of Avalanche Peak Track and Scotts Track is just below the summit. I spent about half an hour at the summit, before I left to head down Scotts Track. It’s relatively easy to follow, but also quite steep! Hiking poles are an actual lifesaver here. Like the route up, the track down to the tree line is completely exposed. It seems to take a while to get down to the trees, but once you do you know the hardest parts are over! After crossing the road and getting down to the car park, you can walk down the main street in Arthur’s Pass to get back to your car and finish the loop. It took me 2.5 hours exactly to get from the summit back to my car at the Avalanche Peak Track car park.
Swimming in the freezing cold water at this spot after finishing was one of my favorite parts of this whole day – it was so refreshing and the perfect reward!
Planning Your Trip to Arthur’s Pass
Arthur’s Pass is located in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand. It’s about a 2-hour drive from Christchurch, and about a 1-hour drive from the West Coast (near Kumara Junction). The nearest major airport for Arthur’s Pass is Christchurch airport – I use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals. Like most places in New Zealand, it’s easiest to get around if you have your own car. But Arthur’s Pass is a popular stop on the scenic Tranzalpine train that runs from Christchurch to the West Coast, so you can get here by train! Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Arthur’s Pass is a popular daytrip from Christchurch, but I definitely don’t recommend four hours of driving on top of doing this tough, full-day hike. You can check out tours around Arthur’s Pass below!
Where to Stay in Arthur’s Pass
You’ll likely be staying overnight in Arthur’s Pass for at least one night either end of your Avalanche Peak hike. Here are my picks on where to stay!
Camping: Avalanche Creek DOC – this is a very basic campsite (it’s essentially a car park) with a large indoor shelter area. There are campsite toilets, but most everyone uses the large toilet block at the train station, which are open all night. It’s right next to the train tracks and the main street in town, but it’s literally across the street from the trailhead – so extremely convenient for this hike! There’s another DOC site just a few km outside of town at Klondyke Corner, which will likely be quieter – I didn’t have phone signal here, but did at Avalanche Creek. Both of these sites are on the DOC Campsite Pass.
Budget: Mountain House – a top pick for budget travelers, this hostel is located in the heart of Arthur’s Pass and has a big kitchen – note they only have one dorm room though.
Mid-range: Arthur’s Pass Alpine Motel – this motel has clean and comfortable rooms and chalets in a convenient location, plus super friendly owners.
Luxury: The Nook – this luxury apartment in Arthur’s Pass has everything you need for relaxing, including a lovely bathtub – a great reward if you’ve just hiked Avalanche Peak!
I loved hiking Avalanche Peak – it was one of the highlights of my entire year in New Zealand. While the trail up is steep and very challenging, the views from the top were breathtaking. If you’re traveling the South Island and love hiking, this is one to add to your list! I hope this post helps planning your hike up Avalanche Peak.
Have you hiked Avalanche Peak before? Share your experience in the comments!
You might also like my posts:
The Most Epic Hike in Wanaka: What to Know About Roy’s Peak
Tongariro Alpine Crossing: What to Know About New Zealand’s Most Epic Day Hike
Hiking Ben Ohau and the Greta Track: Everything You Need to Know
The Best Day Hikes Around Queenstown, New Zealand
The Best Hikes in Twizel, New Zealand
How Much Does it Cost to Travel New Zealand for 6 Weeks?
Moving to New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa: How to Start Your Life (2025 Guide)
How to Save Money Traveling New Zealand on a Budget
All of my New Zealand posts!
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