Welcome Flat Hot Pools, New Zealand

What it is

Welcome Flat Hot Pools are natural thermal pools beside Welcome Flat Hut in the Copland Valley, Westland Tai Poutini National Park. DOC describes the Copland Track as a popular tramp with hot pools as an added attraction, and notes the pools are a short stroll from the hut with views to the Sierra Range on clear days. These are real backcountry pools, reached on foot after a long valley walk. There is no ticket booth at the pools, no staff presence at the water, and no built safety infrastructure beyond what the track and hut system provides.

What makes it distinct

It’s the combination of effort and reward. After hours of walking through West Coast forest, riverbeds, and open valley sections, you arrive at a hut and then step into warm pools with mountain scenery around you. DOC also calls the pools a fragile environment and explicitly asks visitors not to dig more pools and not to use soaps or shampoo. That guidance is part of what keeps Welcome Flat usable.

What to expect

Expect a small set of natural pools, shared with other trampers. Some days it feels quiet. Some days it is a social scene at dusk. Either way, you are in a remote valley, so treat the soak as a bonus, not a guarantee.

Access is via the Copland Track to Welcome Flat Hut. DOC lists the track as 18 km one way and about 7 hours one way, and notes access is off State Highway 6, 26 km south of Fox Glacier, with a signposted turn-off near the Karangarua River bridge and a short gravel approach to the car park. This is a serious day walk even for fit trampers, and many visitors treat it as an overnight trip with a hut booking.

Plan for West Coast weather. DOC warns the track may be closed at short notice during severe or sustained rainfall due to flooding or damage, and that if you are already at the hut you may need to wait until the track reopens. That means you need food buffer, warm layers, and flexibility. River and side creek crossings are a core decision point, and DOC notes there are unbridged side creeks and flood risks in the valley. Download track info before you go and check conditions with DOC if the forecast is unsettled.

Pack as you would for a long tramp: warm layers, rain gear, headlamp, first-aid kit, food, and water treatment for hut taps (DOC notes hut tap water is not treated and should be boiled). For the pools, bring swimsuit, small towel, and footwear you can walk in on the track and also use on wet ground near the pools. Bring a dry bag for wet gear. Do not bring soap, and do not plan to wash hair in the pools, DOC explicitly asks people not to.

Welcome Flat is best for experienced walkers who are comfortable with a long day on a tramping track and with West Coast decision-making. It is not a casual family outing and not a “quick soak” stop. DOC lists hazards including flooded rivers, rockfall, landslide, and avalanche in the Copland Valley, and those hazards are exactly why this is a backcountry trip rather than a tourist drive.

I am marking this as not family friendly, not because families never do it, but because the risk and effort level is high and the consequences of poor judgement are real. Children tire, weather shifts, and river levels rise. If you are considering it with teens, treat it as a proper tramp: strong fitness, correct gear, and conservative decisions. For most families, a managed hot pools venue is a safer, happier choice.

Mobility realities are straightforward: the pools are not wheelchair accessible. Access requires a long tramping track with varied surfaces (forest track, riverbed boulder hopping in places, and open crossings), and the pools themselves have natural edges with no step-free entry. If your group needs stable surfaces and assisted pool entry, this site will not work.

Expectations vs reality: the pools can be crowded in peak season and at dusk when hut guests arrive. Temperatures and pool edges change with flow and use. Treat it as a shared backcountry privilege. If it is busy, soak in short rounds and rotate, the best Welcome Flat vibe is cooperative, not competitive.

DOC lists the core hazards on the Copland Track as flooded rivers, rockfall, landslide, and avalanche, and it also warns that during heavy rain the track can be closed at short notice due to flooding or damage. Take those warnings literally. Do not start the track when heavy rain is forecast. If side creeks are in flood, do not cross. Turn back or wait, even if that means changing your whole plan. The valley floods at any time of year, and the Copland River can make sections impassable.

Near the pools, the main risks are heat, slips, and hygiene. DOC instructs visitors to keep their head above the water to avoid the risk of amoebic meningitis, and that is a clear, practical rule to follow. Keep your head above water, do not swallow water, and do not soak with open cuts if you can avoid it. Move carefully on wet ground and rocks, and wear footwear on the walk to and from the pools, it is easy to slip when you are tired at the end of a long day.

Etiquette at Welcome Flat is part of safety. DOC calls the pools a fragile environment and asks visitors not to use soaps or shampoo and not to dig more pools. Follow that. Soap pollutes the water and downstream environment, and digging destabilises the pool edges and makes the area messier for the next group. Keep noise down, especially in the evening when people are tired, and do not leave gear scattered across the track or pool approaches.

Leave no trace here is simple: pack out all rubbish, do not leave food scraps, and keep the pools natural. If you are camping your wet clothing, keep it contained so it does not blow into the bush. Finally, plan for delays. If the track closes while you are in the valley, you may need to wait at the hut. Carry extra food and a warm layer that you can rely on even when everything else is damp.

Is there an entry fee?

The hot pools themselves are a natural site with no ticket booth, so soaking is free. Costs may still apply for hut bookings at Welcome Flat Hut, and you should plan that as part of your trip.

How long does it take to reach the pools?

DOC lists the Copland Track as 18 km one way and about 7 hours one way to Welcome Flat Hut, with the pools a short stroll from the hut. Treat it as a full tramping day or an overnight trip.

Can the track close?

Yes. DOC warns the track may be closed at short notice during severe or sustained rainfall due to flooding or damage, and that you may need to wait if you are already at the hut when closures occur.

Is it safe to put my head underwater?

No. DOC advises keeping your head above the water to avoid the risk of amoebic meningitis. Keep your head above water and avoid swallowing water.

What are the key rules at the pools?

DOC asks visitors not to use soaps or shampoo and not to dig more pools, and notes the pools are a fragile environment. Keep the pools natural, pack out all rubbish, and share space respectfully.