[2] At only 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) length and gaining only about 100 m (330 ft) in height, the well formed track can be walked by tourists with a wide range of level of fitness.

[3] The track is maintained by the Department of Conservation and has views of Aoraki / Mount Cook[4][5] and access to the proglacial Hooker Lake, typically with icebergs floating in it.

In winter, the access road to the White Horse Hill camping ground can sometimes be closed to vehicles following snowfall, but can be walked along from Mount Cook Village to get to the start of the track.

The vegetation in this section of the track changes to snow tussock, spear grass, large mountain daisies, and Mount Cook Lily.

At times, the track leads close to the Hooker River, its water a bluish light grey colour due to the suspended glacial rock flour in the meltwater.