Sarah WallockThis weekend, I headed out to Aspiring National Park for a much-anticipated backpacking trip. I have been wanting to go camping in the backcountry since arriving in New Zealand, which was unfortunately in winter. Due to my strange hospitality job schedule and the excessive amounts of winter rain, I never got around to it. But I don’t mind how long I waited considering how incredible the weekend in Mount Aspiring National Park was.
Pit Stop: Wishbone Falls
We chose to do the West Matukituki track to Aspiring Hut. Luckily, we did it one day before the summer season started therefore, there were no bookings required and the hut was still at the winter price point. I was buzzing with excitement the entire way there and throughout the track. We headed out just a short two hours northwest from Queenstown. Before the parking lot, we saw Wishbone Falls and stopped to take a closer look. It was so hot out and we decided to jump in the waterfall to cool off. It was a refreshing way to start the weekend. All of the waterfalls and streams are fed from alpine snowmelt- it was so cold it literally took my breath away.
West Matukituki Track to Aspiring Hut
We headed to the beginning of the track and we followed the Matukituki River to the hut for 9km. The sun was beating down, and the day was so enjoyable. The walk went through valleys, pastures, and over a few small hills, but was generally quite mild.
At the hut, we made friends from Queenstown, Belgium, and France. We cooked quesadillas, drank tea, played cards, and enjoyed the stunning views. In the morning, we woke up with the sun and headed back to the car. It was the perfect break from the faster-pace of Queenstown. I think my favorite part of the weekend besides the incredible views, good company, and abundant baby lambs, was the lack of technology and connection to the world. It was so sweet to just be in the valley and really present with the people around me. Hopefully, in the next few weeks I can make it out to another track and this time, I will have to bring hot sauce for my quesadillas!
Published December 2019
