Hooker Lake is a proglacial lake situated at 877 metres elevation in the Hooker Valley within Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park on New Zealand's South Island, at coordinates 43°40′45″S 170°06′30″E. The lake began forming in the late 1970s as the Hooker Glacier retreated, and it continues to evolve as a result of ongoing glacial recession. It measures approximately 2.5 kilometres in length and 0.5 kilometres in width, with a maximum depth of 136 metres. The Hooker River exits the lake at its lower end.

Access is via the Hooker Valley Track from Mount Cook Village, a roughly 5-kilometre walk each way. The portage to the lake involves a significant carry, including steps, making it a demanding approach for anyone bringing a packraft or kayak.

Paddling conditions on Hooker Lake carry serious hazards that demand careful planning. Steep cliffs rise approximately 200 metres above the water in places, and large boulders are described as perched precariously above the shoreline. Safe landing zones around the lake are extremely limited, meaning paddlers who are caught by adverse conditions have few escape options. A recommended minimum safe distance from cliff faces is roughly twice the cliff height; a practical field method is to extend a fist at arm's length and stack three fist-widths from the waterline — the cliff top should fall below that angle, approximately 26 degrees. Icebergs calved from the Hooker Glacier are commonly present in the lake and pose a collision hazard.

Wind management is critical. Katabatic winds flowing down-valley tend to occur in the early morning as cooled overnight air drains toward the lake. From mid-to-late morning, anabatic winds can develop as solar heating causes air to rise up-valley. The recommended paddling window is an early morning start with a return to shore by around midday, before afternoon winds build. Calm, low-wind days are essential given the absence of safe landing zones.

The lake freezes most winters. The water is glacial in origin and extremely cold year-round. The dominant visual feature is the direct view of Aoraki / Mount Cook rising above the upper end of the lake, with floating ice present in many seasons, including as late as mid-September. A picnic table is located at the end of the Hooker Valley Track near the lake shore.