Blue Pools

As of now (July 2023) you can't get to the pools because both bridges leading to them are closed.So it's just a 40 minute walk through the bush. You can take a look on the river, its water is unbelievably blue, but that's all. There's a path" along the river

This easy one-hour round-trip walk is a perfect journey-breaker.However we can argue about whether the water is ‘blue’ or not. Judging from other reviewers’ photos I would say the colour is ‘aquamarine’ on a good day.Sadly our visit followed very heavy rain and, according to the information provided by DoC, this had brought large quantities of silt down from the mountains. Hence the grey colour of the water.Where I have more of an issue is with the description ‘pools’. I didn’t see any. A more accurate description would be ‘two streams’ or ‘or two bridges’. Why does this matter?Because leading the visitor to take the walk expecting to see ‘blue pools’ and then disappoint them is an avoidable terminological error.In fact the walk through the tree-lined pathway itself is enjoyable. And its culmination is rewarding.You arrive at a pair of two suspension bridges with views up and down the two rivers and towards their confluence is a good reward.One watch-out is that this walks accessibility and relative ease, plus roadside car park and toilet block, means it’s busy.

This is a wonderful 2-hour walk there and back if you are on the road between Queenstown and the west coast. The track leads a bit downhill in the early part but is mainly level, and we saw people of all ages walking on it. The track is lined with evergreens and offers beautiful views of the river throughout.Two suspension bridges lead to the pools. The longer one is first, crossing the river, and the second comes very soon thereafter. The actual blue pools are on a stream just where it flows into the river, and the views are best looking upstream from this second bridge.The pools are breathtaking!A path leads from the 2nd bridge down to the river, and lots of people were there.We visited on the Saturday before Easter so the parking lot, track, and bridges were crowded. I’d love to return someday when it’s a bit quieter and more peaceful.

It was an easy 45 min hike roundtrip to the blue pools. It was a cloudy day so the pools were not in their magnificent blue color but they were amazing regardless. Would make for a refreshing dip in the summer. The 2 bridges you have to cross are fun. They are wobbly with signs that warn of impeding catastrophe if people limit is reached.

Lovely location however you can’t actually get to the pools as the bridge has been decommissioned. It’s still a lovely walk and the water is lovely to see. Just can’t get across to see the actual blue pools

Go when the sun is high. The walk is easy and cover. Once you get to the pools the blue is breathtaking. From the car park to the pools it’s a good easy 20 minute walk. WEAR INSECT REPELLENT!

Very easy 20-30 min walk to the pools. Gorgeous river and two suspension bridges to take pics from when you get there. The water was ridiculously clear and we saw some massive rainbow trout swimming around at the bottom! The perfect way to start the day after staying at the campsite across the road.

It really is blue… no filters on any of these pics. I arrived on an overcast day and it was still really blue. Was hoping to catch the sun out as I’ve heard it makes it even more blue. There are public toilets at the start of the track but no other toilet options. Took us 20 minutes to walk to this location.

Piece of heaven. Crystal clear water, which the reflection of light gives it a blue vibrant . A couple of swing bridges make the walk to the pools even more interesting.take your swim wear if you don't mind swimming in icy water. It is around 25 mins walk from the car park which has public toilets as well.

Flat easy walk to get to the 2 bridges. The lighting and weather were perfect so the pools looked stunning! Great stop on our way from Wanaka to Franz Josef