Callery Gorge Walk: Visiting Franz Josef’s Turquoise River
The West Coast region of the South Island offers some of the most impressive walks in the country. Callery Gorge Walk is among the best. This easy, short walk offers the chance to immerse yourself in nature and see one of the most stunning gorges with a vibrant turquoise river. Here’s the inside scoop on how to visit this underrated hidden gem.
Highlights of Callery Gorge Walk
- Walking through the dense, lush rainforest.
- Crossing a bridge over a cascading waterfall.
- The stunning gorge with its brilliant turquoise water.
- Standing on the historic swing bridge.
Where is this Underrated Walk?
Nestled in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, this spectacular West Coast walk is near Franz Josef village.
To get to the start of the hike, walk 4 minutes along Cowan Street from the village.
The 5.2 km walk returns on the same track.
Information About the Walk
We enjoy walks that lead to impressive attractions, such as the walk to the Fox Josef Glacier. However, we were initially hesitant about this hike due to its 200-meter elevation incline despite its “easy” difficulty rating from DOC.
There are varying levels of “easy” walks. Overall, we found the walk easy, with a few slightly difficult parts. However, when you reach the gorge, you will realise it is worth the effort.
The Callery Gorge is absolutely stunning. This walk is one of our favourites in Franz Josef.
Our other favourite walk is the Franz Josef Glacier Walk, known for its stunning glacier and rainforest views. Read more about the walk and the best time to go, next.
Walk Details
The walk begins with a 10-minute uphill section with a gradual incline. Much of the walk after that is on a flat, wide path. Parts of the path, especially at the end, narrow into an uphill and downhill rocky trail.
You will pass New Zealand native rainforest, the town water supply tanks, elevated views of Franz Josef, and an old gold mining water race.
One of the highlights on the walk, the track passes a bridge with a cascading waterfall beneath it.
Further along, a descent takes you to a second bridge, the historic Callery Gorge Bridge. Cross the bridge for a great vantage point of the gorge and the Callery River with its spectacular blue water. However, you can not go further than the bridge, as the rest of the track is closed due to dangerous conditions.
The Callery Bridge is a restored suspension bridge constructed in the early 1900s during the gold rush era when gold was found in the gorge.
An official public fossicking area starts from the Callery Gorge Bridge along the Callery and Waiho Rivers to the State Highway.
You can also walk down the bank and to the water’s edge of the river. We stayed there for 30 minutes admiring the bush, hills and pristine water views and splashed our faces with the chilly water.
Next time, we will return in summer, as it would be an excellent spot for swimming. There are not many places in the world where you can bathe in pure water fed by a glacier.
We will also bring a gold pan and try our luck!
To return to the village, we considered walking across the Waiho River as we could see the State Highway in the distance. However, the water was too deep to consider the rugged route across the boulder-strewn river.
We found the walk back easier and quicker. Additionally, the views were just as engaging on the return walk.
We spent 1.5 hours completing this walk plus half an hour relaxing by the river.
Faster walkers could easily complete this walk in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
If you love walks to stunning rivers and lakes, make sure you don’t miss out on New Zealand’s most stunning lake, Lake Matheson.
New Zealand South Island Insider Guide Tips:
Be cautious in wet weather, as the narrow, muddy path can become slippery.
Most of the path is wide and manageable, but the final stretch after the waterfall becomes narrow and rocky, requiring careful footing.
Stay attentive to avoid tripping.
There is a fork in the road within minutes of the start of the Callery Gorge Walk. The second path leads to the Tatare Tunnels.
Is the Callery Gorge Walk worth doing?
Yes, for sure!
Overall, we would rate this walk an 8 out of 10. We consider the walk a hidden gem with minimal crowds. We only encountered three other groups of hikers during our time there.
The cascading waterfall on the track and the dramatic turquoise water among the bluest water we have ever seen make this walk comparable to the Blue Pools in Haast and the famous Hokitika Gorge.
So, it’s definitely a must-do in the Franz Josef area.
