Aoraki/Mt Cook’s popular Hooker Valley Track has been reopened.

The 10km track – walked by 121,000 people last season – was partially closed in March after an extreme flood washed away 120m of track and damaged a swingbridge.

Contractors have built 257m of new track and repaired the swingbridge.

DOC senior recreation and historic ranger David Dittmer says the location and weather made the repair a challenge.

“We can’t drive vehicles through the national park, so the contractors had to walk an hour in and out every day and all materials had to be flown in by helicopter,” he said.

“Even then, the contractors had their work cut out for them, completing $150,000 of repairs in between bouts of snow, rain, hail and freezing fog.”

The three-hour return track leads to the impressive Hooker Lake and provides access to Sefton Bivouac, Copland Shelter and Empress Hut.