Description

This is a basic six-bunk hut located in Tararua Forest Park in the Kapiti region. There are no fees. Bookings not required - first come, first served. Facilities include mattresses, non-flushing toilets and water (not treated - boil before use). Access to the hut is by road off SH57 at Shannon. Follow the road signs to the Mangaore Power Village for approximately 5 km and past the Mangahao Hydro Electric Power Station. A very winding metal road will take you past the smaller Tokomaru No 3 reservoir and the Mangahao No 2 reservoir where the track starts. Mangahao Dam No. 2 to Burn Hut: 3 to 4 hours The track starts on the far side of the dam and sidles down the true right of the river for approximately an hour. Just past a wooden bridge the track starts to climb for about another hour to the bush line. Once onto the leather wood covered tops the track follows the ridge for another hour to Burn Hut which is located on a small spur. Burn Hut to Mangahao Dam No. 1: 3 to 4 hours From the hut, the track crosses a small saddle then climbs back to the ridge line. After following the ridge for approximately an hour the track sidles behind high point 835m and begins its decent, reaching college stream in another 40 minutes. Boulder hop down College Stream for about an hour to the junction with Baber Creek (this section may be impassable after heavy rain). The track to dam 1 starts again at the junction on the true right. Allow about another hour to the dam. It is 4km down the road to the start at dam 2.