Mueller Hut is one of the most iconic huts in Aotearoa, New Zealand. With incredible views of Aoraki and the surrounding mountains of Mt Cook National Park. You’ll need some good hiking skills to get there, though, this is an alpine hike like no other. You’ll feel like a true mountaineer without actually needing the mountaineering gear or skills as you climb up an ascent of over 1000m.
Needless to say, the views on this hike are spectacular. This is the highest elevation gain we have ever climbed in Aotearoa. I’m not going to lie and say it was easy, because it is hard, but it was incredibly rewarding. Pace yourself and enjoy the changing views whilst you hike upstairs, then rocks, then scramble up scree to get to a high ridge before walking back through the mountains to the martian like basin that Mueller Hut proudly sits in.
If you are lucky, you’ll be treated by some feathered friends at the hut before starting the hike back down to White Horse Hill Campsite. It’s an epic day in the mountains, so pack your gear and well walk through it together before you set out on your own.
Be sure to check out our Instagram to see more of our favourite day hikes around Aotearoa!
Details
Starting Point: White Horse Hill Campground and day use area
Distance: 12km
Duration: 8hrs 30 mins. This is how long it took us, including ample stops for snacks and photos. We also took our time at the hut itself as there were 8 Kea playing in the area!
Difficulty: Hard. This is a proper alpine back country hike. You’ll need proper gear and good navigational skills with some hiking experience to tackle this one.
When: We did this hike at the end of February
Local Iwi: Ngāi Tahu
Additional Information: There are seasonal restrictions on this track. From March to November, snow and ice can be present. There is also a risk of avalanche during these months. If you plan to come within this time frame, you’ll need proper winter mountaineering experience with ice axes and crampons (if snow and or ice is present). No matter when you plan to come, always check in with the National Park Visitors Centre to find out about the track conditions on the day of your hike.
Trail Map
Getting to the Starting Point of Mueller Hut
Aoraki National Park is an incredible part of Aotearoa and a truly special place to visit. Be sure to give yourself a couple of days here so that you can do more than just this hike. There are so many amazing trails that show you different vantage points of the magnificent Maunga that is Aoraki (Mt Cook). We recommend staying at the White Horse Hill Campground if you are doing this hike as a day walk. Staying the night before the hike and the night after the hike will make your hiking day a little easier. Alternatively, you can book a spot to spend the night in Mueller Hut. There are 28 bunks here, but it does fill up fast, so be sure to book ahead. We prefer the comforts of our motorhome so we did this as a day walk and spent the night in the campground.
You can also start this hike from the Mt Cook Village. There is a hotel here if staying in a campground isn’t your thing. There is a walking track that will take you down to the start of the trail. Follow the Kea Point track signs from the village to link up to the Mueller Hut track.
The Trail
If you aren’t staying at the White Horse Hill Campground you can park just outside it in the day use area. Here there is a day shelter and some toilets to make good use of before you start out on the hike. From the information board, follow trail markers to Kea Point. The track starts off nice and flat with some great views up to the ridge you are about to climb directly in front of you. Before starting your climb of over 1000m skyward, take the track to the right to the Kea point lookout.
Kea Point
If you have started your day early (which we highly recommend, as it’s a long hike, and you don’t want to run out of daylight) then this is the perfect spot to enjoy your breakfast. It’s a gorgeous spot to watch the sunrise as you have some great mountain views in front of you that reflect the light perfectly. The lookout is just above Mueller Lake, where the hut you are hiking to got its name. From here you should also be able to see the Mueller glacier terminus. Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t see a Kea at Kea point. There will be plenty of opportunity for Kea spotting as your altitude increases over the course of the hike. With that in mind, retrace your steps back to the Mueller Hut junction and turn right to begin your climb!
Lower View Point
The incline will start off relatively gently, but it doesn’t take long to get your blood pumping! As soon as you see an inviting wooden chair tucked away just to the right of the track, the real incline is about to start. We recommend enjoying the chair for a minute or two before powering on up the hundreds of steps that will take you to Sealy Tarns. It’s a tough slog to get up the steps.
Make sure you take every opportunity to take in the view and snap some photos as you climb. We are definitely only stopping for the view alone, and not to catch our breath… About halfway up the climb to Sealy Tarns, you’ll see a little rocky outcrop that provides incredible views out to the valley below. This is a great spot to get off the track for a minute and have a snack whilst you enjoy the rewards of your relentless climb.
Sealy Tarns
Try not to look up too much as you continue climbing the stairs to Sealy Tarns. It makes the climb easier if you focus more on how far you have already come rather than how far you have left to climb. After an ascent of about 500m, you’ll find the stairs are done with! Follow the well-formed trail to the right and to see the most beautiful tarn tucked away in the side of the mountain.
If you are here on a still morning, the reflections are beautiful. If there is a little bit of wind rippling the surface, don’t worry, you’ll have a chance to see the tarn again on the way back down. We found the wind dropped off as the day went on, and the tarn was stunning on our way back down to the campground. There are also way fewer people here in the afternoon versus the morning.
Rocky Climb
For some, the climb up to Sealy tarns is enough. If you found it difficult to get up here then consider turning back now as the rest of the climb to Mueller hut is only going to get harder. We did celebrate the end of the steps when we got to Sealy tarns. However, after a few minutes on the rocky back country track leading up the Mueller Hut, we were wishing the stairs would come back!
The track is no longer well maintained from here, and you’ll have to make your way by following the orange marker poles. The trail zigzags up the mountain through tussocky fields and rocky outcrops. It’s a challenging climb that is only about to get harder.
Scree Scramble
The final climb to the ridge above you is a scree scramble. A loose gravel incline with not a lot of great footing and plenty of places to slip. Take your time on this section and be sure to follow the orange markers the entire way up. Once you make it past the scree, stop at the top of the ridge and look down. Give yourself a moment to take in the tricky climb you just nailed before continuing on!
Ridge Side Track
At the top of the ridge you’ll see a little side trail going off to a rocky knoll to the right of the main trail. If you have the time, take this side trail to the top of the knoll for some incredible views. You’ll be able to look down into Hooker Valley and out to Mt Sefton. There are glaciers seemingly everywhere on the mountains to take in. The biggest of which is Mueller Glacier.
Stop and sit here for a wee while, and you may be lucky enough to spot some kea, or hear some ice cracking in the glacier. We managed to see a few flying over head from this point. Never fear if you don’t spot a kea here, as there is still a bit of track left to get you to Mueller hut.
Mueller Hut
Back on the main track from the rocky knoll, follow the ridge to the left, skirting along the mountain side and climbing over rocks until you reach the basin that Mueller hut sits in. Once the hut comes into view, there is still about a 20 min walk to reach it. This section feels like the longest part of the track, with the barren rocky landscape making the hut appear closer than it actually is.
Just before you make it to the hut, you’ll see a little outhouse to the right. The toilets here are known for having some of the best views in the country! They don’t have windows anymore, though, so you’ll just have to enjoy the view whilst you wait for your turn. After making the most of the toilets, follow the path up the last few stairs to the raised hut. There are some great picnic tables on the deck outside the hut for you to make the most of. Grab a seat, unpack your lunch and enjoy the incredible mountain views!
Kea Time
Make sure you give yourself a decent amount of time to spend at the hut itself. If you are staying the night, then claim your bed and settle in to enjoy the views and watch for kea. If, like us, you are only here for a day hike, hang around for a bit as there are some kea that regularly show up at the hut. We were lucky enough to be visited by 8 kea whilst we were enjoying our lunch at the hut. We hung around for over an hour watching the kea play on the hut and the nearby rocks.
Nathan had the time of his life getting photos of the birds as they hopped around the rocks and flew through the sky. They are truly incredible birds. Listening to them chatter away to each other was an absolute highlight of the day. We had never heard them talk and sing so much before! It really was an effort to leave and start the walk back down to the campground.
Be aware of the sunset time when you tackle this hike. It will take you just as long to hike back down as it did to hike up. You’ll want to leave the hut with plenty of time to get down without it getting dark. It is always a good idea to have a head torch in your pack, just in case you take a little longer than planned to hike back down.
Extra Tips/Info for Mueller Hut
Always let someone know your plans for the day and check in with them when you are finished with your hike. That way, if something does happen to you on the trail, someone will know roughly where you are and know to send out some help. This isn’t an easy hike to do in a day, so be sure you are properly prepared. Pack yourself plenty of food and water, wear appropriate hiking shoes, and make sure you are prepared for any sudden changes in the weather. There is nothing wrong with turning back if the weather changes, or you realise the hike is harder than you had anticipated.
Leave No Trace
As always, when out in nature, be sure to practice leave no trace. Anything that goes into the park with you comes out as well (this includes apple cores and any type of food scraps). Be sure to keep to the trails so you don’t disturb the fragile ecosystems off the trail. Please leave rocks, sticks and plants as you find them. Please don’t take anything but photographs and leave with nothing extra but memories.
We like to go one step further on leave no trace by making sure we pick up any rubbish we see along the trail, sometimes people slip up and forget to pick up after themselves, or things get accidentally forgotten. If you see something that doesn’t belong, and are equipped to pick it up, and correctly dispose of it, please do!
To help you leave no trace on these incredible day hikes, we have a few blog posts for you to read! We share our tips on how to pack for an eco-conscious day hike and what to do on the trails to protect the land you are hiking on. It’s always good to know whose land you are on, too! We have done our best to include the Tangata Whenua (people of the land) above in the local iwi section. However, it is always a good idea to do your own research as well. Knowing whose land you are on is vital in ensuring you can respect the wishes of the landowners and help to protect their land.
Keen for more inspo? Be sure to check out:
- 10 Epic Walks In Northland New Zealand
- 10 Hidden Gem South Island Photography Spots
- The Best South Island Paid Experiences in New Zealand
