Explore
This area offers the main public access for viewing the glacier from the valley floor.
Following a massive 2019 landslide that permanently closed the northern road, the South Side Walkway is now the only pedestrian route to view the ice from below. The trailhead is a 3-kilometer drive south of Fox Glacier township on State Highway 6.
Entry to the valley tracks is free. You will walk through temperate rainforest before reaching secure viewpoints kept at a distance from the unstable terminal face.
6.4 km return2 hours return
This 6.4-kilometer return track winds through ancient podocarp rainforest along the south bank of the Fox River. The path takes about two hours to complete. You can ride a bicycle for the first 10 minutes of the trail. After that, you must leave your bike at the designated drop point and walk the remainder.
Viewpoints15-30 mins
These safe lookout areas sit at the end of the public track. From here, you can see the terminal face of the glacier and the moraine valley. The viewpoints are set far back from the ice due to extreme rockfall and landslide hazards. Bring binoculars or a smartphone with a zoom lens for a closer look.
