Arthur's Pass Base Weekend: JCs Track on the Bealey River flats, Arthur's Pass

Along the fringe of the Bealey River

I was in Arthur's Pass recently with my partner and we spent some time there going for some day trips while staying in a rented holiday home. There are a multitude of different tracks you can walk as a day tramp so staying in the village and venturing to a new track each day is a great way of maximizing your time. 

The Bealey River flats lay just beyond the rail tracks....

One of the places we visited is the strip of DOC land between the railroad line to Otira and the Bealey River. This area is a part of the National Park and in an attempt to get some use out of the land a short walk has been built along the side of the Bealey River.. 

...Interesting views of the surrounding mountains from near the Bealey River...

The name of this walk is JC's Track....who JC was and why they were important is unknown to me. DOC really need to place an information board down here explaining the who and whys....

 It is a short track but allows you to visit the last three private holiday homes on this land and also lets you get close to the bridge near the Otira tunnel portal. 

JC's Track along the Bealey River

The official entrance and exit to this area is from the DOC camp site near the temporary DOC office but we just crossed over to the walk from down at the eastern end of the village close to our holiday home. There is a pedestrian crossing of the rail lines opposite the Arthur's Pass Alpine Motel.

View towards Mt Bealey from beyond the railway tracks, Arthur's Pass

Rough Creek runs down between Mt Bealey, Lyell Peak and Avalanche Peak

Please take care if using this entrance as you have to cross busy rail lines....watch for trains!!!

Alternately you can walk down to the bridge over Rough Creek on the outskirts of the village and cross under them on the river bed and then turn left and walk back up valley. The bridges are about 100 meters further east along SH 73 heading out of Arthur's Pass.

View east from near Arthur's Pass railroad tracks...

Mt O'Malley rising from the Bealey Valley, Arthur's Pass

From the crossing point you can see all three of the remaining private bach's which once covered this river flat. In 1986 there were still about thirty odd bach's down here...most were originally accommodation for the men digging the Otira Tunnel. They were subsequently on-sold to private buyers who used them for many decades.

All of the bach's were removed from the 1980's onward as lifetime occupation agreements ran out and the land reverted to Department of Conservation control. I imagine the three left here will eventually disappear as well unless they are kept as historical buildings.

Two of the remaining bach's next to the Bealey River

The shuttered red shed below is the closest to the original miners huts which leads me to believe it may be owned by DOC...there is no information in the area so I'm really not sure. It is recently re-painted and has a new solar panel on the roof so.....?????

Another private bach with Mt Aicken in the background

A shuttered bach from Bealey river Flats...

The area in the photo below used to be covered in huts...now it is a nice grassy glade with a track along the edge of the Bealey river and another along the side closest to the railway line. It was very tranquil here as the railway embankment blocks out the traffic sound from SH 73. All you can hear is the gurgle of the river, bird song and the sound of the wind in the trees. There was absolutely no-one about.......

Arthur's Pass: the river flats next to the train station

On JC's Track near the Bealey River, Arthur's Pass

The embankment coming out of the Otira Tunnel was made from spoil removed in the construction of the tunnel. It was also used to flatten out the land between the embankment and the road so the train station is built on tunnel spoil as well.

 As you can see they removed a LOT of rock from under that mountain....

Arthur's Pass: the embankment was made from Otira Tunnel spoil...

There are some really excellent views of the mountains and peaks on the southern side of the Bealey River Valley...places like Mt Bealey, Avalanche Peak and the Rome Ridge. It is worth coming down near the river just to be able to clearly see the waterfalls and magnificent high alpine cirques up Rough Creek..it is BIG country in these parts...

Mt Bealey and Rough Creek from the Bealey River flats, Arthur's Pass

Our holiday home was on Brake Hill which had an excellent view down onto this area...our holiday home is just out of picture to the left on the photo below. The imposing red building in the fore ground is an old engine shed once used to house two Toshiba EO electric trains which once hauled trains through the tunnel from 1968 to 1997.

EO51 and EO45 at the Arthur's Pass train yards in the late 1980's

They were still in use up to the late 1990's at which time they were taken to Wellington for use on the commuter train network. They have now been retired and the remaining unit is operated by a historic railway in the North Island.

They now use diesel trains on the Otira tunnel route with a beefy fan system to extract the diesel fumes. The shed is now a Kiwi Rail workshop and general storage area....

Our holiday home is on the ridge behind the train sheds, Arthur's Pass

There is a small waterfall flowing into the Bealey River from off the side of Mt Aicken...you can see it falling through the trees for a long way up the slope. It is fairly step terrain in Arthur's Pass...glacier cut as recently as 20 000 years ago...which is why many of the walking tracks are closer to climbs.

Small waterfall empties into the Bealey River, Arthur's Pass

I can imagine it would be very nice sitting here in the sun if it wasn't plagued with sand flies...we were OK as it was windy but normally it would be sand fly heaven with all that long grass. Maybe choose a slightly windy day for your visit so they dont irritate you.

Morts Loop is another short track through a small stand of beech trees along the side of the Bealey river and attached to JC's Track. 

Arthur's Pass: Bealey River from the flats between it and the train Station

If you are ever in Arthur's Pass go have a look at the train station...it was built in the 1950's and has some nice murals and paintings inside. The doors to the waiting room are always open so you can easily go have a look by using the underpass tunnel which runs to the station from near the Avalanche Creek toilet block.

Arthur's Pass train station with Mt Bealey in the distance

Rustic seats on the Bealey River Flats, Arthur's Pass

Looking east along the Bealey River Flats, Arthur's Pass:

Sign for JCs track, Arthur's Pass

At the western end of the track is the viaduct and tunnel portal for the rail tunnel to Otira. Construction was started in 1907 but the tunnel was not completed until the 1920's due to a lack of labor and capital during World War One.

You cannot go right up to the portal anymore as Kiwi Rail have built a big fence around it....you can get close though if you dont mind fording the Bealey River down by the viaduct. 

Otira Tunnel viaduct from the Bealey River

Otira Tunnel portal visible from the Bealey River

Cast iron Otira Tunnel Viaduct built in 1910's.....

Karen and I had a good look at the viaduct but neither of us fancied wet feet...I will come down here next time I am in Arthur's Pass and go have a look.....

Jon looking at the Otira tunnel Portal

From the viaduct you just follow the marked path up an embankment near the train carousal and walk along it to the campsite and Shelter at Avalanche Creek. From there you are on SH 73 once again and you can walk back to your accommodation.

Panoramic view of the track to Arthur's Pass Village from the railway

The Upper Bealey River flats from near the Otira Tunnel Viaduct

The old railway carousal near the train station Arthur's Pass

 There is plenty of parking near the Avalanche Creek toilets so that is the best place to leave your car if you just wanting to visit the river while passing through the village.

On the embankment to SH 73 from the Otira Tunnel, Arthur's Pass

Avalanche Creek shelter and camp site, Arthur's Pass

On the way back to our holiday home we stopped in at the temporary DOC visitor center and office next to the Avalanche Creek campsite. The main DOC building is going to be removed and a new permanent office built to replace it. The office has a ton of information for people visiting the park, as well as maps, campsite tickets, hut tickets and a small retail area.

The temporary Arthur's Pass DOC office, Arthur's Pass

We also stopped by the Kea information kiosk located next to the DOC office, there is information about this endangered bird which is such a part of being in Arthur's Pass. When I was younger it was common to see 20+ Kea around the village...on this trip Karen and I saw only the one bird over four days.

 Kea are declining in numbers due to climate change, habitat loss and predation by introduced pests like stouts, possums, mice and rats.

The Kea information kiosk at Arthur's Pass

As you can see we had an excellent view of the Bealey Valley from the holiday home we were staying in...apart from the rustic outdoor toilet it was very nice and well located. I'm sure we will return sometime as we both had a good time there.

View of the Bealey Valley from our holiday home, Arthur's Pass

Interior photo of the Holiday home we used in Arthur's Pass

Our Arthur's Pass holiday home...'Woodsmoke'

If you every happen to find yourself in Arthur's Pass go have a look at JC's track and enjoy the alternate view of the Arthur's Pass village you get from down on the river flats.

Access:  The track officially starts next to the car-park at the Avalanche Creek campsite and shelter. There is a walkway from SH 73 along the embankment on the true right of Avalanche Creek. 

Track times: It takes 10-15 minutes to stroll along the flats next to the Bealey River.

Miscellaneous: Take care around the rail yard and especial care if cross any train tracks. do not try to access the Otira Rail tunnel portal as this is a restricted area.