Four pools of varying temperatures dug from a mud fan. Welcome Flat Hot Pools have one of the best views in the country, being settled in a valley surrounded by snow capped peaks and native forest. Best after the sandflies go to sleep. In November you can sit in the pools and watch avalanches cascading down the opposite face.The pools are a couple of minutes walk from the DoC hut and campsite (Hut and Campsite must be booked via the doc website before heading to the hut. There is a ranger at this hut and they will refuse to allow a person to sleep at the hut or campsite without a booking and have been known to turn people away). Even closer is a rock bivvy where camping is also possible. The bivvy is considered a campsite and DoC charges apply. [Gabrielle , NZ]
Welcome Flat Hot Pools
In Nature
Description
Directions
You can’t drive to it. The nearest road is approximately seven hours walk away. Turn off the main West Coast road about 20km south of Fox Glacier at the Copland Track sign, the carpark is about 200m from the main road. Follow the track markers up the valley. The track can be difficult and dangerous in bad weather – people have drowned trying to cross flooded streams. On a good day it’s not too bad, but still quite a hike. Don’t attempt it without good clothing and extra food should you get trapped by heavy rain. Weather forecasts aren’t to be relied on. [Sam Buchanan, ]
Interactive Map
Bather Reviews
Visited Welcome Flats many times in the 80s. Crossed over Copeland Pass (east to west) a few times but most of my visits to the hot pools were in from the West Coast to stay a couple of nights, then out. Sometimes in a group, sometimes just a couple of us. Flew in there by chopper once too which was…
Great memory of 1972 ….oh to be young again…on my way to cross the Copeland Pass , ice axe and crampons at the ready. Skinny dipping at night in the hot pools surrounded by mountains with a full moon and scudding clouds…..wow never to be forgotten…….happy days.
Its a 18.5km walk in, and since the hut is popular its a busy place, however the pools do have amazing views when the weather is clear (rare) – the mudy bottoms are comfortable, 4 of the 5 pools are quite shallow so you get a sore neck eventually, the other is quite hot but deeper. Up the valley further…
It was September 1995, still cold with the possibility of avalanches. The walk was hard going for an inexperienced tramper like me, plus we missed the track in an avalanche Shute and had to creep around an outcrop to get up and out. But even so it was a lot of fun ans I had a terrific sense of accomplishment…
excellent well worth the hike, effort and enjoyment
new bridges over all streams so not rusty or on last legs. couple of avalanche roots to cross over but nothing major. amazing springs. booking essential for hut now.
NZ’s best kept secret
Best experienced in winter. Great views of the Sierra Range that are similar to the better known Remarkables. Would have got a ten but for the fine silt on the bottom of the pools. (I don’t know about the therapuetic properties of the silt but know it is invasive)
Amazing pools, very natural and the scenery is fantastic. Loved the slime at the bottom of pools. Worth the tramp and staying a few days, we only stayed one night which was a shame, cant wait to go back. Best during off season when surrounded by snow and not crowded pool.
Went in 1979; fantastic spot, avalanches cascading while soaking in hot pools. The walk was challenging but stunning; have thought of our time there on many occasions. Would love to go back , but maybe it shatter the memory. We were only 3 there for many days as weather prevented us from hiking out. I can still remember the freezing…