Sealy Tarns facts for kids

Sealy Tarns is a special place in New Zealand, high up on the northern side of the Sealy Range. It's a small, flat area with two tiny lakes called tarns. Imagine small mountain lakes formed by glaciers – that's what a tarn is!

You can reach Sealy Tarns by hiking a track that starts near the Hooker Valley and Mount Cook Village. This track is looked after by the DOC, which helps protect New Zealand's natural places. The path goes steeply uphill, climbing from about 850 meters (2,790 feet) to 1,300 meters (4,265 feet). It has many zig-zag turns, called switchbacks, and more than 2,200 steps made of strong timber. The track was first built in the 1980s and got a big update in 2012. A round trip from Hooker Valley Road to Sealy Tarns is about 5.8 kilometers (3.6 miles) long.

What You'll Find at Sealy Tarns

Sealy Tarns is a fantastic spot for hikers and nature lovers. It's where the well-kept hiking track ends, but many people continue their adventure from here up to Mueller Hut.

The Tarns and Fun Activities

The area gets its name from the two small tarns you'll find there. These little lakes are often surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. Sometimes, when there's snow, part of the ridge becomes a fun place for tobogganing – sliding down on a sled!

Amazing Mountain Views

From Sealy Tarns, you get incredible views of some of New Zealand's most famous mountains and glaciers. You can see The Footstool, which is a mountain that looks a bit like its name. The mighty Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain, stands proudly in the distance.

You can also look down at the Hooker Glacier and the Mueller Glacier. These huge rivers of ice have lakes at their ends, called proglacial lakes, which are formed by the melting ice. And, of course, you can see Mount Cook Village nestled in the valley below.

A Wide View of the Mountains

Panorama taken at the lower track entrance to Sealy Tarns

This amazing wide picture was taken in the winter of 2007. It shows you everything you can see from Sealy Tarns, from one side to the other.

What You Can Spot in the Panorama

• On the left, you can see the path that continues even higher up the ridge towards Mueller Hut.
• There's a snowy area where people enjoy tobogganing.
• You can spot two signs from the DOC, showing where the tarns are. The tarns themselves are covered in snow in this picture.
• The Footstool mountain is clearly visible.
• Right in the middle of the picture, from top to bottom, you can see:
  • Aoraki / Mount Cook, the tallest peak.
  • The end of the Hooker Glacier and its lake.
  • The end of the Mueller Glacier and its lake. If you compare this to a photo from 2016, you can see how much the glacier has shrunk!
• The wide, flat Hooker Valley stretches out below. Mount Cook Village is hidden behind the ridge on the right side of the picture.