Description

Located in the eastern Kaweka Forest Park, Kaweka Flats Bivouac is situated 1 hour from the Makahu carpark. There are no fees. Bookings not required - first come, first served. Facilities include mattresses, non-flush toilets and water from a stream. The bivouac was built in 1963 by the NZ Forest Service and is situated at 900 metres above sea level in a clearing at the base of Dicks Spur. The site has adequate camping space surrounding the bivouac. Getting there: Walking Makahu Saddle Carpark (1 hr) The hut is reached via Makahu Saddle Hut which is situated at the Makahu Saddle car park (at the end of Kaweka Road). The benched track leaves from behind the hut, 5 minutes from the carpark. Tramping Kaweka Flats Bivouac is ideally located for a day, weekend or the start of an extended tramp. The track sidles through beech forest, in and out of sidestream gullies, in a northerly direction. It follows an old stock route which was used when grazing was prevalent between the 1860's and early 1900's. The vegetation gradually changes to thick regenerating manuka. The track carries on past the bivouac to Middle Hill Hut (3 hours), and then down to Makahu Road (another 2.5 3 hours). The historic iron whare can be reached from the Kaweka Flats Bivouac. Care must be taken when negotiating stream crossings in times of high rainfall.