FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER
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12 km long, the Franz Josef Glacier is the star attraction of the village of the same name, and its reputation as the most accessible glacier in the world is well established. The visitors' parking lot is less than 5 km from the village. There are a number of nice tracks of varying lengths to walk around and get great views of the phenomenon and the region, such as the Sentinel Rock Walk (20-minute round trip), Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere Walk (1.5-hour round trip) or Roberts Point Track (5-hour round trip). Alex Knob Track is undoubtedly the most impressive (8h round trip) and leads to the summit of Mount Alex Knob, at over 1,300 meters altitude. At the entrance to the site, interesting information panels trace the glacier's evolution and movements over the past century. While the terminal point of the glacier has receded considerably as a result of melting, it is also clear that the glacier is not standing still, and is advancing at an impressive rate! Glaciers are naturally unstable zones, and landslides and rockfalls are not uncommon. The most recent (December 1997) buried the parking lot. The DOC monitors the behemoth every day, and can close a dangerous hiking trail at any time. Along with its neighbor Fox, Franz Joseph is a Unesco World Heritage Site and a major attraction on the West Coast. Numerous service providers have taken advantage of the glacier's high natural quality to offer a wide range of activities.
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