Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome Flat
Duration
3 days
Distance
50km (31 miles)
Track Standard
Easy tramping track
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Start/End
Karangarua River bridge
Nearest Towns
Fox Glacier (
Click here
)
, Franz Josef Glacier (
Click here
)
Transport
Bus, shuttle bus
Summary
A tramp along the Karangarua and Copland Rivers to open alpine areas with epic
mountain scenery, plus a soothing soak in the Welcome Flat hot springs.
This tramp up the Copland Valley to Welcome Flat Hut is a popular overnight return trip for
visitors to the Glacier Region. It offers a window into Westland Tai Poutini's spectacular
forest, river and mountain scenery, while natural hot pools at Welcome Flat are an added at-
traction for weary adventurers.
The forests of the Copland Valley are visually dominated by a healthy canopy of southern
rata, a spectacular sight during the summer flowering season. The forest gives way at higher
altitudes to the upper montane vegetation of tree daisies and
Dracophyllums,
which in turn
give way to the truly alpine habitats of tussock grasslands and native herbs.
Regular possum control has been undertaken since the mid-1980s and as a result the
forest damage is significantly less than in the neighbouring Karangarua Valley, which has
extensive canopy dieback.
The only real drawback of this tramp is that you must eventually turn around and back-
track to SH6.
