South Island West Coast Region 2021 Jackson Bay to Greymouth
Jackson Bay to Greymouth
West Coast Region South Island
New Zealand
2021
Jacksons Bay Road
Hapuka Estuary Walk
We stopped at Haast for lunch, then heading out to Jackson Bay for the night we did the Hapuka Estuary Walk.
1km - 20-minute loop walk is just nice to stretch the legs.
Jacksons Bay
It is a lovely drive out to Jackson Bay we were surprised to find it was a sealed road all the way, be it a bit bumpy in places but not surprising with the forest on both sides of the road.
There is a small free parking spot so we stayed the night to do walks in the morning.
Jackson Bay Road
Tonight park
Jackson Bay
Sunset
Sunrise
Closed
Jacksons Bay Road
Lake Ellery
On the way back to Haast from Jackson Bay, we turned up a narrow gravel road. Travelling 3 km there is parking for the Lake Ellery walk be it tight for motorhomes.
Nice walk with no wind and mist on the river. 3km - 1hour
Next stop Lake Paringa Doc Camp for the night waterfront parking at this time of year (no internet/phone)
Lake Ellery
The walk is beside the river
Lake Paringa Doc Camp
Fox Glacier/Lake Matheson
On the road this morning we drove straight to Lake Matheson. It is such a beautiful clear day with no wind perfect to visit this Lake.
Last year it was windy when we visited the lake, so stoked to get the Lake Reflections with Mt Cook this time.
The walk around the lake is 4.88km 1.15hours.
Finishing the day back in Fox Glacier town for lunch and a couple of nights stay at Fox Glacier
Campervan Park on nzmca campersaver.
Lake Matheson
Stayed a couple of nights
Fox Glacier/Lake Gault
We got up this morning to another perfect day, so it was a no brainer to walk to Lake Gault.
To get to the Lake Gault walk we had to drive back to Lake Matheson as the track starts 20 minutes off the Lake Matheson loop track.
10.6km - 2.30hour return, this track has been upgraded since it was closed due to slips a few years ago.
Lake Gault
Frog
Fungi
Fox Glacier
Today we walked to the river lookout including the little sidetrack that was closed last year as they were working on it.
It's an easy walk under 8km return 1.41hours but that was brisk walking on the way back, so allow the recommended 2 hours return for this walk.
Well worth doing if you have the time to do the full walk, there is a shorter lookout point be it not as close for viewing the glacier. Or get your bikes out for an easy ride.
Fox Glacier
Rata vine flowering
View from carpark
Franz Josef Glacier
There are red alert weather warnings here for flooding and high winds.
We have booked into the Rainforest Holiday Park in town on nzmca campsaver lovely sheltered spot with great facilities including free spa and sauna, with the opportunity to book a massage if we want. A restaurant & bar so pretty much covered and feeling like we are on holiday lol
Today we walked around town and visited the WildLife Centre they have two Kiwi that they hatched and are now six months old. One stopped in front of me so close I could have touched it.
There is also a good display of six Tuatara that were all out of their burrows.
With the rain starting at lunchtime we have now hunkered down to wait it out.
Bush setting
Franz Josef Glacier
The rain stopped at lunchtime.
We got out and did the Tatare Tunnel walk and Callery Gorge walk all up from camp 10.87km 2.43hours return. An interesting walk with the recent rain with some pretty small falls along the way.
Tannin in the water
Walk finished here
Tatare Tunnel
Franz Josef Glacier
Visited the Glacier today on the walk back we did the Sentinel Rock Walk, a nice view from up there.
Back at the car park, we walked to Peters Pool good reflections today. Then carrying onto the Douglas Walk that brought us out at the Lake Wombat walk start. Once we return from Lake Wombat we ended doing a loop walk back to the car park via the bush cycle track.
All up 10.46km - 2.50hours.
Back at camp for one more night.
Lake Mahinapua
Tonights stay is at Lake Mahinapua Doc Camp a favourite.
The first stop this morning for photos was Lake Mapourika, the water was so calm with reflections. The light wasn’t great with fog slowly lifting making a magical scene that I couldn't capture.
The next stop for lunch and a walk was the West Coast Treetop Walk and Cafe Hokitika. Well worth doing if you're not nervous about heights it took us about 45 minutes to do the walk.
Lake Mapourika
Lake Mapourika
Lake Mapourika
Lake Mapourika
Lake Mapourika
Lake Mahinapua
View from the tower
View from the tower
View from the tower, Lake Mahinapua
Lake Mahinapua
There are 3 small lovely forest walks here at Lake Mahinapua combined from camp 4.72km - 1hour.
After lunch we moved into Hokitika NZMCA Camp we needed to do some shopping.
Lake Mahinapua looking moody
Stayed for 4 nights
Greymouth
Well, it is with reluctant disappointment we moved from Hokitika today without doing all the fun things. I have a head cold that's keeping me grounded, there is no way I want to pass this on to others.
With more bad weather warnings forecast we moved to Greymouth Kiwi Holiday Park on nzmca campsaver.
So on power and the Olympics on tv, we can bunker down with entertainment.
Yesterday we went for a drive to the Hokitika Gorge Blue Pools, the water wasn't clear like last year with all the recent rain but still beautiful.
I didn't feel too good after a short walk and we want to do the walks in Arthurs Pass so until then we will stay here.
Frog is still healthy and I hope he stays that way.
Hokitika Gorge Blue Pools
View on the walk
Staying until I feel better
Greymouth
Went for a short walk on the beach today.
Leaving Greymouth we headed to Arthur's Pass stopping at Shanty Town something we didn't do last year. We spent 3 relaxing hours here with plenty of history to read and look at.
Then a scenic drive through to Jacksons Retreat and Holiday Park for a night on campsaver. In the morning we had a short forest walk to a delightful waterfall.
