Franz Josef Glacier

glaciers · New Zealand · mountains · ice

A 12-kilometer river. Franz Josef Glacier is about 7.5 miles long, which is like a frozen river of ice stretching across the landscape of New Zealand's South Island.

Descends from mountains. This glacier starts way up in the Southern Alps mountains and flows downward until it reaches an elevation of less than 300 meters (about 980 feet) above sea level, which is unusually low for a glacier.

Temperate maritime climate. Franz Josef Glacier exists in a region with a mild, ocean-influenced climate, which helps make this glacier unique compared to colder glaciers in other parts of the world.

Has a famous neighbor. The Fox Glacier sits only 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the south, and together with a third glacier, these ice masses are among New Zealand's most spectacular natural features.

Protected national park. The glacier is located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast, a special area set aside to protect these amazing ice formations and the landscape around them.