Sentinel Rock Walk
Franz Josef Glacier, Westland Tai Poutini National Park
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Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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Information
Sentinel Rock Walk
900 m return | 20 minutes return
If you don’t have the time or energy to do the whole Franz Josef Glacier Walk, then this taster still gets you to a viewpoint where you can see the ice.
Walking Track
Access
From Franz Josef township head south on SH6 over the Waihou River and then immediately left. The narrow road is 4 km to the parking area at the road end, from where the tracks are signposted.
There’s toilets and kea here.
Track
This wide and metalled track weaves through the regenerating forest.
Take a left at the signpost and weave up the track to the viewing platform.
Geology
Sentinel Rock is a resistant outcrop which blocked the glacier’s path. The rounded hummock has had it’s sharp edges smoothed by ice and is now conveniently placed in the valley centre to give a vantage point over it’s sculptor.
Flora
Note the forest here has only started to colonise since the retreat of the glacier around 100 years ago.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC West CoastCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Cron street |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Walking
Nearby
Reviews
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3.5/5
Ok view of the glacier but you really have to do the 1.5 hour walk to get close and really appreciate its size.
Soon it may be gone!
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4.0/5
20Oct18.
A good path up to the lookout. We were here in 2006 and it is surprising just how much the glacier has receded, even tho we all know about global warming. I suspect the longer walk would give much better views if you have the time. We elected to do the longer walk at Fox.
The road to the car park is well made but narrow in places and slow.
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3.5/5
A well maintained path through rainforest, then along the valley.
Although you are unable to get onto the glacier, the views from 450m back is impressive.
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4.0/5
Heavy rain had closed the walk to the Glacier face but the walk up Sentinel Rock gave us a reasonable view, albeit 2500m away.
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4.5/5
Take the Sentinel Rock Walk, about 1.5 hours walk return, for free, but too less parking spots.
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3.5/5
Short walk (from the carpark it is approximately 10 minutes) and the best view of the Glacier!
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4.5/5
The best view of the Glacier is from the Sentinel Rock, only 20 minutes walk from the carpark.
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