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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -43.48440, 170.02412. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 4 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Fox Glacier area / Westland Tai Poutini National Park
- Dog access
- No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Explore old moraine surfaces on this easy, short walk, south of Fox Glacier township.
This DOC directory entry covers Moraine Walk in West Coast, within Fox Glacier area / Westland Tai Poutini National Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 4 km return via same track
- Walking time: 1 hr 30 min
- DOC grade: Easiest
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Start your walk on the Fox Glacier South Side Walkway/Cycleway. Bikes are not permitted on the Moraine Walk, so if you have cycled leave your bike at the start of the Moraine Walk.
Off the main walkway/cycleway the track narrows as this easy walk takes you over the old moraine surfaces and reveals how quickly plants establish here. Moraines are the debris of rocks and stones left when a glacier retreats, and the walk begins on a surface several thousand years old before crossing the AD1600 and AD1750 moraines.
When you meet the walkway/cycleway at the other end of the track you can return via the walkway/cycleway or back along the Moraine Walk. You can also explore further up the valley to the viewpoints before returning to the car park.
Getting there
Drive south for 2 km from the Fox Glacier Weheka township, cross the Fox River Bridge and park in the car park on the left hand side of the road heading south.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
