Jan 17, 2026 Blue Pools
Our outing today to The Blue Pools in Mt. Aspiring National Park didn’t take us too far from our B&B in the tiny mountain hamlet of Makarora. We drove the 10 minutes up the road, parked and started on the short trek across the Makarora river on a stout swing bridge then along the new wood walkway on the embankment and across the second stout bridge, this one over the Blue river as it emptied into the Makarora river.
The crystal clear water of the Blue river flowing out of the mountains. You can see the shadow of the bridge we are on, crossing the river.
A large pool is formed as the glacial debris flowing from the mountains builds up at the confluence of the Blue and Makarora rivers. Several brave souls were plunging into the ice cold waters! We did not partake!
We were glad we got there a little early, when we left the large parking lot was completely full! We continued to a less visited spot almost directly across the valley from the Blue Pools, up Cameron Creek to a little lookout platform.
The platform was cordoned off due to instability from a slip below it. But we had a great view across the valley to where the Blue river carved through the mountains.