Arthur’s Pass National Park (1)

23-24 May 2025

I was so privileged to be able to stay at my friend Chloe’s cabin in Arthur’s Pass National Park for a long weekend. Arthur’s Pass is is the highest and most spectacular pass through the New Zealand Southern Alps. It takes about 90 minutes by car or shuttle (from the airport) heading out northwest of Christchurch. You can also get there via the TransAlpine train which is one of the world’s greatest train journeys (and definitely worth doing).

Arthur’s Pass

Chloe has a such a cute little cabin, nestled amongst the trees but with beautiful views up the valley and a huge picture window that captures the view and the afternoon sunshine. We settle into the cabin in the late afternoon and get the fire roaring. After dinner we head out to admire the clear starry skies. I was trying out a new phone/camera and was very impressed by the pictures it captured (expand the photos below).

Refreshed after a great night’s sleep we awake to a very clear but frosty morning. Bacon and eggs for breakfast fortified us for a walk along the Arthur’s Pass Track along the valley. Despite the crisp start, the sun and some good ups and downs on the track soon warm us up. It is so beautiful walking through the beech forest, marvelling at the vast array of different fungi nestled in amongst the mosses and lichens, and perched on logs. We drop down to the Bridal Veil Falls – and then have a steep climb up the other side that definitely gets the blood pumping. We can hear kea (NZ alpine parrots) calling as they fly above us; melodious bellbirds are all around and often come down to make sure we are noticing them; tiny titipounamu (riflemen) flit rapidly from one mossy tree trunk to the next with their little burbling calls; and South Island robins and tomtits check us out from the bushes along the edge of the track.

We come out of the beech forest and cross more swampy land where we spot tiny bright red sundew (carnivorous plants). A bit further along we reach Jack’s Hut – an original roadman’s hut built in 1879 when the road was being built. We then cross over the main highway and continue our walk down to Bealey Chasm. The track through here is beautiful with some lovely views up to the (barely) snow-covered mountain tops. Chloe tells me there are even better views further up the Bealey Valley track and I’m very tempted but not sure how my energy levels will stand up to this (thanks Long Covid!) so we reluctantly head back. After a late lunch, I decide to read in the sun lying on the couch in front of the fire (it is a tough life!).

A very frosty start

A very frosty start

A very frosty start

Walking tracks around Arthur’s Pass

Arthur’s Pass Walking Track

Track map showing contours

The promise of sunshine along the valley

Devil’s Punch Bowl Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Mt Rolleston coming into view

Chloe on the track

Jack’s Hut

Mt Rolleston from Jack’s Hut

Caution Kea ahead

Beautiful track to Bealey Chasm

Mt Rolleston through the trees

Down into Bealey Chasm

Bealey Chasm

Bealey Chasm

Mt Rolleston

South Island Robin on the wood pile

Tomtit

Beillbird

Jewel-like coprosma berries

Nature’s tiny landscapes

Lichen and fungi

Bird’s nest fungus

Nature’s tiny landscapes

Snowberries

Hotlips puffball (develops bright coloured ‘lips’)

Nature’s tiny landscapes

Pekepeke-kiore (native lion’s mane)

Pekepeke-kiore (native lion’s mane)

Coprosma

Sundew (carnivorous plant)

Nature’s tiny landscapes

Sphagnum moss

Intricate fungal lace

Tiny spider hammock

Nature’s tiny landscapes

Bellbird