The Franz Josef Glacier Walk follows the valley floor toward a safe viewing area for the glacier. It is a straightforward way to feel the scale of the landscape without booking a helicopter or guided ice trip: rock walls, meltwater, and the retreating ice all line up in one short outing.
The track is about 5.4 km return from the car park, which is around 4 km from town. Weather, floods, and ice movement can close or shorten the route, so check local conditions before setting out.