Arthur's Pass Base Weekend: Bealey Valley, Arthur's Pass

In the shadow of Mt Rolleston...

Just after New Years Karen and I ventured up to Arthur's Pass National Park to stay in a holiday home we had rented for a weekend. The weather was good with sun, warm temperatures and no rain. The previous three times we have come up here it has been raining so it was good to have a nice couple of days for a change.

While in the area we did a number of short and medium day walks one of which was a trip up to the end of the Bealey Valley Track in the catchment of the Upper Bealey Valley.

Start of the Bealey Valley Track at SH 73

This is a relatively short track...it is about 1.5 hours return and is a mixture of nice bush walking, open beech forest, boardwalk and some open tarn fringes. It is a very lovely track and is suitable for all ages and in all conditions. Too wet and windy to walk the Avalanche Peak Track....give this beauty a go...!!!

The Bealey River from the bridge over the Chasm

Mountain Neinei trees along the Bealey Valley Track

The view of the northern face of Mt Rolleston is beautiful and well worth the effort of walking up the track. The track ends at the Bealey River and though you can venture further upriver this is where we halted. 

Mt Rolleston from the end of the Bealey Valley Track

This was the last of the walks we undertook on this trip but this is certainly not the last time we will come up to Arthur's Pass as there are many excellent tracks still to walk. 

From Jacks Hut to the Upper Bealey River

The Bealey Valley Track starts about 6 km's west of Arthur's Pass Village at a car-park opposite the iconic Jacks Hut. There is plenty of parking space here and as the road is very busy it is a fairly safe place to leave your car while you are walking.

Historic Jacks Hut on SH73 just west of Arthur's Pass village

This is also the re-entry point for the top section of the Arthur's Pass Walking Track and in fact you are walking on that track for the first 200 meters to the Bealey Chasm junction. The track is Great Walk style...flat, level and very easy to walk on.

Karen and I set off from the Bealey Chasm car-park at SH 73, Arthur's Pass

On the Arthur's Pass Waking Track at the start

After 200 meters there is a track junction...if you follow the left branch you go down a set of stairs to the Bealey Chasm and the Bealey River. If you go to the right you will eventually arrive at the top of the Pass as this is the top half of the Arthur's Pass Walking Track.

Junction of the Bealey Valley Track & Arthur's Pass Walking Track

Karen at the Bealey Valley Track junction

DOC sign at the Bealey Valley Track junction

The track & stairs are certainly better than the muddy rutted track that once went down to the river and are the result of a millennial project to build a new track from Arthur's Pass Village to the high point of the pass at the Dobson Memorial.

Descending down the stairs to the Bealey Chasm

Karen is descending down the stairs to the Bealey Chasm

Bridge over the Bealey Chasm, Arthur's Pass NP

Bridge over the Bealey River near the Bealey Chasm

Part of the construction was upgrading the track down to the Bealey Chasm and building a new bridge over the Bealey River. If you are short of time even walking down to the bridge is worthwhile as the Bealey River is beautiful along here and worth visiting.

Bealey River, view upstream from the Bealey Chasm bridge

Bealey River, view upstream from the Bealey Chasm bridge

Bealey River, view downstream from the Bealey Chasm bridge

On the far side of the bridge you climb up the the site of Margaret's Tarn which is slowly filling in with silt and is now a large clear area of tussock and turpentine scrub. There are good views down the valley towards the village and this is the best spot to get a wide angled view of Rome Ridge, Mt Rolleston and Goldneys Ridge

Climbing up to the Bealey Valley Track past the bridge

Mt Rolleston from the Bealey Valley Track

Goldneys Ridge from the Bealey Valley Track

Heading into the beech forest on the Bealey Valley Track

The track to the Upper Bealey River continues on the western edge of the clearing and heads off through the stunted beech forest on a series of boardwalks, small bridges and bush track.

There is a lot of boardwalk along the Bealey Valley Track

Karen on one of the bridges along the Bealey Valley Track

The Bealey Valley Track from the fixed bridge...

There are a number of Dracophyllum Traversii or Mountain Neinei (also sometimes called the 'Dr Seuss tree') along the side of this track....so named because they look just like the trees you see in Dr Seuss books. These are a really ancient tree species and have been around for several million years now...this partially explains why they look so weird.

Mountain Neinei or Dracophyllum traversii on the Bealey Valley Track

Boardwalk over tree stumps along the Bealey Valley Track

You arrive at the end of the track after about 20-25 minutes of walking and the end of the track makes for a good rest spot either in the bush fringe or siting on one of the large boulders in the river bed. This is as far as the track goes as there are a number of avalanche chutes from this point onward.

If you are coming up here in winter or early spring do not go further up the valley without first checking the avalanche advisory...the possibility of an avalanche is so high during those seasons that this valley has its own advisory page.

End of the Bealey Valley Track at the Upper Bealey River

You have magnificent views of the north face of Mt Rolleston from the river bed at the end of the track and it is well worth taking a rest here and checking out the scenery. If you are lucky you might see someone on one of the ice faces of the mountain.

You can go further up the valley but it is totally at your own risk...there is a overgrown and rough track up the true right side of the river which can take you right up to the head of the cirque under Mt Rolleston.

Mt Rolleston from the bed of the Upper Bealey River

Rome ridge climbing to Mt Rolleston from Bealey river

Jon at the end of the Bealey Valley Track

Karen and I sat on the edge of the river and ate our lunch while enjoying a tasty brew. We were not alone as there were a number of other people taking advantage of the fine weather to explore the valley.

Just opposite the end of the track you can see an obvious avalanche chute on the far side of the river. I have been up here in winter before and as well as being damn cold there was avalanche debris piled up at the base of the chute. Slips off the side of the steep sided Goldneys Ridge are quite common after heavy snow falls or if there is heavy rain in the middle of winter so stay clear at all times

A mixture of rock types at the Upper Bealey River

Active slip chute at the Upper Bealey River

Rugged terrain climbing up to the cirque at the end of the Bealey river

We packed up and headed back down the track after about 20 minutes as it was starting to get a bit cold as the wind had started to blow.

From the Bealey Valley to SH 73...

 Your return to the highway is a reverse of your previous walk...you just jump on the track and head for the road. This really is a nice track well marked, well maintained and very easy to follow. 

End of the Bealey Valley Track in the Bealey River

Karen heading down the Bealey Valley Track

Bealey Valley Track: lots of boardwalk to ease your passage

There are good views of the main part of the Bealey Valley from the edge of the large clearing...you can easily see Mt Bealey and Avalanche Peak and you can even see the course of Scott's Track climbing up to Avalanche Peak from a bit further down the valley.

On the boardwalk on the Bealey Valley Track

View down the Bealey Valley towards Arthur's Pass village

Random beech growing next to Bealey Valley Track

Halfway across the clearing is an unmarked track leading off into the bush around the base of Rome Ridge...this is an old track that used to go up to a view point on the side of Rome Ridge. It over looked the Bealey Glacier which has been melting since the mid 1980's...the only remnant is a small patch of ice high on the north face of Mt Rolleston.

The side track to Rome Ridge, Bealey Valley Track

Mt Rolleston Massif from near Margaret's Tarn, Arthur's Pass NP

...last view of Goldney ridge from the Bealey Valley Track...

We passed half a dozen people on our way back to the car-park...a mixture of tourists and locals out for an afternoon stroll. This is a very popular track probably the second most popular behind the Punchbowl Falls Track but despite this it has a quiet solitude to it more like a remote backcountry trail. 

Back at the Bealey Chasm bridge, Bealey Valley Track

Jon approaches the Bealey Chasm bridge, Bealey Valley Track

The whole trip took us about an hour return including the 20 minutes we spent up at the river eating our lunch. Time wise and level of difficulty make this a tramp you could do as you passed through on the way to the West Coast. 

Bealey Valley Track: climbing the stairs to the Arthur's Pass Walking Track

...more stairs at the end of the Bealey Valley Track...

Once again the final part of the walk is on the Arthur's Pass Walking Track as you walk along the last 200 odd meters of the track to the car-park. This will probably be the next tramp Karen and I walk in the National Park as it is a really nice three hour return trip from the village to the Arthur Dobson Memorial at the top of the pass.

On the Arthur's Pass Walking Track heading for Jacks Hut...

End of the Bealey Valley Track at SH 73, Arthur's Pass

It was great to get back up the Bealey Valley and it was awesome that Karen got to see the end of the track this time. This is another excellent short walk for people passing through or staying in Arthur's Pass and I cannot recommend it enough. 

If you have a spare hour the next time you are passing through Arthur's Pass take a trip up to see the lovely Upper Bealey River. You will not be disappointed. 

Access: Turn off SH 73 at the car-park opposite Jacks Hut, the track starts next to the car-park. The first 200 meters are on the Arthur's Pass Walking Track, then turn off onto the Bealey Valley Track

Track times: 30-40 minutes to the Upper Bealey River, then 30 minutes to the cirque under Goldney Ridge.

Hut Details: Jacks Hut (historic)

Miscellaneous: Avalanche and rock fall danger in the Upper Bealey Valley, do not go past the end of the track in winter unless you have some avalanche awareness. No toilets at any point along this track.

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.