A quick glance at the huts on the Heaphy Track
I recently finished walking the Heaphy Track and I thought it would worthwhile to highlight the fantastic array of huts you will find along the track. There are six huts and eight shelters along the track and they provide overnight accommodation and sheltered lunch spots for all the riders and trampers who cover the track.
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| Jon on the MacKay Downs, Heaphy Track |
I walked the Heaphy Track from Brown River to Kohaihai so let us follow the huts in that direction and find out a bit more about each of them...
Brown River to Perry Saddle Hut:
The first day on the Heaphy Track is the walk from the Brown River carpark to Perry Saddle Hut...it is 18 km's over 5-6 hours...
Brown River Shelter:
First shelter on the Heaphy Track is the day shelter at the Brown River road end. It is a relatively new building built in the last couple of years and has covered seating, a water tank and a set of flush toilets. It is mainly intended as a covered waiting point for people taking transport out to Takaka and Nelson.
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| The day shelter at the Brown River carpark, Kahurangi NP |
The Heaphy Track starts right next to the shelter and there is an iconic Heaphy Track sign located adjacent to it. I stopped here for a couple of minutes and packed my loose gear before setting out on my journey...
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| The Heaphy Track begins right next to the shelter... |
FYI: DOC have weather information and contact details for transport operators on the walls of the shelter. Most transport from this location needs to be pre booked...see my post about
organising a trip on the Heaphy Track...
Specifications:
Day shelter with seating, watertank from roof, and flush toilets
Brown Hut:
Brown Hut is the first hut along the Heaphy Track and is just 200 meters down the track from the Brown River car park. It is the second oldest hut on the track and is often used as the starting point for late arriving people walking the track, overnight visitors and anglers. The Brown River is a noted trout fishery and the shuttle driver and I were talking about fishing in the local rivers on the way to the track.
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| Brown Hut (1971), Kahurangi NP |
I stayed in Brown Hut back in the early 1990's when my partner (at that time) and I walked into the old Perry Saddle Hut. We spent the night there after arriving late and then set out to the next hut the following morning. I liked the hut as it is super quirky with the stonework around the foundation and the Brown River is very close to the hut.
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| Brown Hut has sleeping platforms for sixteen people |
I love sleeping platforms in a hut and when I think of a backcountry hut they are one of the images I see in my mind. Brown Hut has these funky deeply varnished ones.
Nice!!!
FYI: there are camping sites next to and around the hut and there is enough space here for about 10 tents in total!!!
Specifications:
Great Walk Hut: 16 bunks, 10 campsites, water from tanks, wood burner, flush toilets, picnic tables
Aorere Shelter:
Aorere Shelter is the first of the campsite shelters on the Heaphy Track when walking from north to south. It is an open, three sided structure with seating inside and out and is immediately adjacent to the campsite. Several of the older campsite shelters on the Heaphy Track are built to this pattern and it is a very well thought out and useful design.
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| Aorere Shelter (1980's), Kahurangi NP |
The shelters are built with only three sides to discourage people sleeping in them though I am sure some would do so anyway especially when it is raining. They could do with bug screens across the front as the sandflies are numerous in this part of the country...the open side reduces the usefulness of the shelter.
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| The inside of the Aorere Shelter on the Heaphy Track |
There is a small covered bench with water taps and a sink adjacent to the shelter and this is where the campers can take water and clean their dishes etc. This design is used at nearly all the campsites on this track...I like it because I can see it would work well.
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| The small cleaning sink and water source at Aorere Shelter |
All of the campsite shelters built to this pattern were constructed back in the 1980's and while they are well maintained they are starting to show their age. They are over 40 years old now and would see a power of use year after year...do they need to be replaced?
Specifications:
Campsite shelter, 5 campsites, seating, watertank from roof, flush toilets
Perry Saddle Hut:
Perry Saddle Hut is where most people will spend the first night of their tramp on the Heaphy Track. It is at the end of the long six hour climb up from Brown Hut and it is a welcome sight as it rolls into view from near Lookout Point. The hut is located on the northern edge of Perry Saddle which links the Tasman coast with the downlands you cover on day three.
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| Perry Saddle Hut (2012), Kahurangi NP |
Several of the huts on this track were replaced over 2012-2014 as the previous buildings could not cope with the increasing number of people who are using the track. Perry Saddle along with James MacKay and Heaphy Hut are all built to the same basic template with three bunkrooms, a large central living space and attached toilet block. All three are excellent places to stay and typical of the newer DOC backcountry huts.
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| Living space inside Perry Saddle Hut, Kahurangi NP |
The bunkrooms at Perry Saddle are named and I stayed in Kaka Saddle which is a terrain feature in the nearby Gouland Range. The other two bunkrooms were Dragons Teeth and Mount Perry. None of the other huts had named bunkrooms...
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| Kaka Bunkroom at Perry Saddle Hut |
The hut was about 2/3 full which was the norm for the days I was walking the track. Usually the huts are totally full at this time of year but a huge chunk of the population was locked down in Auckland which probably explains why the huts had empty bunks...
Specifications:
Great Walk Hut: 28 bunks, water from tanks, wood burner, flush toilets, picnic tables
Perry Saddle Campsite Shelter:
Each of the larger Heaphy Track huts has a co-located campsite with space for 5-10 tents and Perry Saddle is no exception. There is a separate campsite shelter as campers are not permitted to use the living space inside a Great Walk hut. Your average Great Walk hut has from 20-40 visitors each night and adding another 10-20 people would make for crowded conditions...
The campsite shelter at Perry Saddle is different from the other huts. It is a more basic structure with openings on two of the sides and it has heavy duty plastic curtains which can be rolled up to open or close the structure. I'm not sure if I like this design as much as the older shelters because those curtains will perish over time and it might be difficult to find replacements.
Specifications:
Campsite shelter with 5 campsites, seating, watertank from roof, and flush toilets
Perry Saddle Hut to James MacKay Hut:
The second day of the track starts out in the forest near Perry Saddle but you will soon find yourself crossing the tussock covered downland of Gouland Downs and MacKay Downs. Some people will walk to James MacKay Hut in one day (24km's or 6-9 hours!!!) but you can also stop for the night at either Gouland Downs Hut or Saxon Hut along the way.
Gouland Downs Hut:
Gouland Downs Hut is the oldest hut on the Heaphy Track and it has a lot of charm with its cosy rustic interior, open fireplace and ton of history. This was originally a deer cullers hut before the track was recut and it has been in continuous use since it was built in 1957.
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| Gouland Downs Hut (1957), Kahurangi NP |
The hut has been well maintained and it is just as comfortable as any other on the track...it would be worth staying a night if that fits into your plans just for the open fireplace.
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| The interior of Gouland Downs Hut.... |
One of the main attractions with this hut is the chance to see Takahe in the wild. Gouland Downs is the place you are most likely to see Takahe as they were released close to the hut and several have stayed in the general vicinity. I talked to the people who stayed in Gouland Downs Hut the night before I arrived and they saw three Takahe at the same time the previous evening...
Specifications:
Great Walk Hut: 8 bunks, water from tanks, open fire, flush toilets, picnic tables
Saxon Hut:
I think Saxon Hut was my favorite on this track...it is smaller than the newer huts but it really reminds me of other serviced huts I have visited around the country. Saxon Hut is located on the edge of Gouland Downs and I think it is a better accommodation option than walking all the way from Perry Saddle to James MacKay Hut in one day.
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| Saxon Hut (1984), Kahurangi NP |
The hut is mid sized and will easily hold 16 people though the night I stayed it was just myself and an English couple. It has sleeping platforms and a lay out which reminded me of huts on the St James Walkway, Arthurs Pass NP and in Nelson Lakes NP. I love this style of hut and will actively seek them out when I am planning my tramping trips...
Saxon Hut is also a place that Takahe like to visit and I was so pleased to stay here as a Takahe spent most of the afternoon around the hut on the night I was there. It was quite tame and walked up to the three of us and browsed the grass around the hut clearing.
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| A native Takahe chows down on the grass outside Saxon Hut |
Surprisingly there is no campsite shelter at the Saxon Hut site even though there are five campsites located here. I suppose the hut gets so little use they just decided that people will be able to sit inside the hut to eat their meals.
Specifications:
Great Walk Hut: 16 bunks, 5 campsites, water from tanks, wood burner, flush toilets, picnic tables
James MacKay Hut:
James MacKay Hut marks the dividing line between the sub alpine downland and the forest you will be passing through on your descent down to the Lewis River on the second to last day of your trip. It sits right on the edge of MacKay Downs and on a fine day the mouth of the Heaphy River is clearly visible in the distance.
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| James MacKay Hut (2012), Kahurangi NP |
The hut had a nice feel to it and I thought it was my second best liked hut on this track. I think it helped that I arrived in a rain storm and within an hour I was dry and had a blazing fire going. It has a wonderful veranda around it and I could see sitting outside and reading over a sunny afternoon as it had the least number of sandflies of any of the huts on this track.
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| Inside one of the bunkrooms at James MacKay Hut |
The hut warden at James MacKay was a Kiwi women who has been working up here every summer for over a decade and she was awesome and totally typical of a West Coaster.
Specifications:
Great Walk Hut: 28 bunks, water from tanks, wood burner, flush toilets, picnic tables
James MacKay Campsite Shelter:
James MacKay is the most exposed of the hut and campsite locations on the Heaphy Track so I was expecting a heavy duty campsite shelter and I was not mistaken. The new shelter here is a nearly enclosed structure with only a door sized gap on one wall open to the air. It looks like one of those DOC relocatable staff quarters which has been repurposed.
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| James MacKay Campsite Shelter (2020), Kahurangi NP |
The building looks to be insulated and it has a bench, sink and water taps inside with a couple of flushing toilets located not too far away. Again...it should really be enclosed so that you can use the facilities without being eaten alive by the bugs.
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| Interior of the new campsite shelter at James MacKay Hut |
The tent sites both here and at Saxon Hut were of the platform type...wooden platforms with tie down points attached to them. A free standing tent is the best option on this type of platform but any tent can be set up on them with a bit of thought.
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| The platform tent sites at James MacKay Campsite |
The trip from James MacKay Hut to Heaphy Hut will be on either day three or four of your trip depending on how many days you are walking the track over...
Specifications:
Campsite shelter with 5 campsites, seating, watertank from roof, and flush toilets
Ministry of Works Hut:
Now...right from the start I am going to tell you to seriously think before undertaking the trip to the MOW Hut on MacKay Downs. This is a serious off track trip with significant consequences if you get lost enroute to the hut. It should only be attempted by people with excellent backcountry experience, navigation skills, good maps AND a GPS unit.
DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ROUTE unless you have these skills and equipment!!!
The Ministry of Works Hut is the most original SF70 six bunk hut left in New Zealand and is a Mecca level acquisition for serious hut baggers. There is no marked track and some serious bush bashing is required to access the hut.
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| The Ministry of Works Hut in Kahurangi NP |
The Ministry of Works Hut was built in the early 1970's when the then Ministry of Works were contemplating building a road from Collingwood to Karamea. They were serious about this project as government surveyors spent nearly two years plotting the route of the road before it was decided it would be too difficult and costly to build.
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| Bush bashing from the Heaphy Track to the MOW Hut |
The MOW Hut can be accessed from the Heaphy Track as a side trip or as part of the longer Heaphy River to Kahurangi Lighthouse Route. It would require an additional two days from the Heaphy Track as it is rough and rugged terrain. You need one day to get to the hut and another to get back to the Heaphy Track on top of walking the Heaphy Track itself.
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| Typical terrain over MacKay Downs you will cross... |
There are possible routes from James MacKay Hut, Horrible Creek and Blueshirt Creek and there are many discussions of these routes online. The most straightforward is up Blueshirt Creek but all of them cross a confusing mix of downs, thick bush, creek beds and swamp. Only 10-20 parties make it here each year which gives you an idea of the intensity of the route.
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| You drop off this bridge near Blueshirt Creek...to get to MOW Hut |
I am only including this here as an increasing number of people are attempting the route to the hut and it is something you can consider if your skills are up to the task. Be forewarned...it is tiger country!!!
Specifications:
Basic, 6 bunks, open fire, water from stream, no toilet
James Mackay Hut to Kohaihai:
From James MacKay Hut you are dropping down to the confluence of the Lewis and Heaphy River before spending two solid hours walking along the river and out to the coast. For me it was the longest day of the track at 21 km's and over 6 hours and even though it is mostly downhill you will still be tired when you get to Heaphy Hut.
Lewis Shelter:
In 2020 DOC decided to remove the old Lewis Hut from its location at the confluence of the Lewis and Heaphy Rivers. This hut was similar to Saxon Hut and was a useful place to stay for those walking south to north along the track.
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| The old Lewis Hut (1970's-2021) |
The hut was removed as erosion had started to seriously threaten the hut site and it was decided that it should be replaced with a day shelter only. It was only completed in October of 2021 about a month before I started the track.
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| Lewis Shelter (2021), Kahurangi NP |
It is an excellent day shelter but I personally think it has a number of flaws. The most glaring is that it is open sided in possibly the most sandfly plagued spot outside of the Hollyford Valley. There were so many vicious sandflies here that it is basically unusable. I was covered in extra strength DEET and they were laughing at me as they chewed me to death.
Bastids!!!
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| Interior of the new Lewis Shelter on the Heaphy Track |
There are seats inside the hut and an extensive bench so you could get the cooker out and heat water for soup, meals and hot drinks. There is also a very nice view from the veranda down to the Heaphy River Suspension Bridge and Lewis River.
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| The other end of the interior space at the Lewis shelter... |
There is a bench just outside the entrance to the shelter with two water taps and a couple of sinks. The water here is not filtered so you will need to boil, filter or treat it yourself as it comes from a nearby stream.
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| The taps and sinks on the exterior of Lewis Shelter |
If the shelter had doors I would be giving it five stars as it is a good design but just not for this track and this location. For example this shelter would be perfect up on the escarpment on the Paparoa Track. You would be better to stop in a heavily forested spot on the track to eat your lunch as you are less likely to be murdered by sandflies.
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| View of Lewis Shelter from the veranda... |
Given the size of the new shelter, how much it probably cost, its location and the conditions you face on the Heaphy Track I really think they should have replaced the old Lewis Hut with a new hut. It could have been smaller...like one of those 10 person huts you see around the country. It would be useful for people travelling NOBO along the track to have somewhere to potentially stay before that massive climb up to the James MacKay Hut. I think this was a missed call...
Specifications:
Day shelter with seating, watertank from roof, and flush toilets
Heaphy Hut:
Heaphy Hut is either your first or last nights accommodation on the Heaphy Track and because it is used by people heading both ways it is slightly bigger at 32 bunks. It is in a absolutely premium spot and if this was any place but New Zealand there would be a multi million dollar house or lodge built here.
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| Heaphy Hut (2014), Kahurangi NP |
As I said earlier it is of the same basic design as Perry Saddle and James MacKay but it has four bunkrooms and not three. It has the largest living space of all the huts on this track and it is by far the largest overall when it comes to dimensions. This is the fourth hut constructed on this same spot so the original hut builders choose the right place to locate it.
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| Interior of Heaphy Hut at the mouth of the Heaphy river |
When you visit you absolutely must go down to the beach at the mouth of the Heaphy River. It is the most awesome spot around the hut and you can swim in the river, sunbathe, go fishing in the estuary (with a permit) and just enjoy the scenery.
I spent nearly an hour at the beach myself as there is a lot to see and do.
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| View up the Heaphy River Valley from the estuary |
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| This family caught three big fish at the Heaphy River Estuary |
BTW...there is cell cover from the beach if you get down close to the waterline...I checked MetService and talked to Karen down at Karamea for about 30 minutes without any problems. I also sent some photos to Facebook so you can send and receive from here.
Specifications:
Great Walk Hut: 32 bunks, water from tanks, wood burner, flush toilets, picnic tables
Heaphy Campsite Shelter:
There is a campsite at Heaphy Beach and it has space for over 20 tents on a large and well groomed area of grass in front of the hut. The shelter is to the same design as the Aorere and Katipo Creek locations and has interior seating, toilets, tap water and sinks...
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| Heaphy Campsite Shelter (1980's), Kahurangi NP |
Again with the open sided shelters....anywhere else this would be excellent but in the context of the sandfly infested West Coast it just doesn't work. Still...it is better than standing out in the cold and rain cooking your meals.
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| Interior of the campsite shelter at the Heaphy River |
If I was walking/riding the Heaphy Track and tenting I would be taking "no cook" foods as you can still eat but stay inside your tent away form the damn bugs. Sandwiches, salads, crackers and cold soak meals would be better than hot food...to limit your exposure.
Specifications:
Campsite shelter with 20 campsites, seating, fireplaces, watertank from roof, and flush toilets
Katipo Creek Shelter:
Katipo Creek Shelter is the last shelter on the actual track and services the small campsite located next to the Katipo Creek bridge. It is the half way point between Heaphy Hut and Kohaihai and it is the natural place to stop for a break as you make your way between them.
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| Katipo Creek Shelter (1980's), Kahurangi NP |
These structures are very basic but they offer a modicum of protection from the elements for those camping here or on their way to other places. You would really appreciate these shelters in a big rain storm...of that I can be sure.
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| The interior of the Katipo Creek Shelter |
Both times I have been here I spent less than five minutes which was just enough time for a drink, snack and to tie my bootlaces etc. I signed the intensions book in all of these shelters built to this design as they all have one to be filled out by the campsite residents.
Specifications:
Campsite shelter with 5 campsites, seating, watertank from roof, and flush toilets
Kohaihai Shelter:
The end of the line for those walking the track from north to south and a good spot to wait for your transport once you walk off the track. The shelter is built to the same basic design as those at Aorere, Katipo Creek and the Heaphy River but this one is more elaboratively decorated.
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| Kohaihai Day Shelter (1980's), Kahurangi NP |
The shelter at Kohaihai is primarily for people waiting for a shuttle bus etc. but it would also be a great place to organise your gear before setting out along the track. You could go into the shelter when it is raining and sort out your pack without getting everything inside it wet.
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| Kohaihai Shelter...typical DOC day shelter seen at many road-ends. |
The campsite at Kohaihai looks to be a ripper and it has a brand new ablution block with toilets, showers, tank water and some cooking benches. There is quite a lot to do in the local area and most people could easily spend two days here walking, visiting the beach and exploring the nearby river.
Specifications:
Day shelter with seating, watertank from roof, and flush toilets. There is a campsite nearby with showers and a new ablution block.
So there you go all the huts and shelters you are likely to encounter along the Heaphy Track. There are some real beauties on this track and DOC has provided a variety of huts and campsite shelters for you to stay at while you are walking or riding the track.
