Herepai Hut-TARARUA FOREST

Location: Tararua Forest Park

Time: Overnight, 2.5 hours each way

Difficulty: Medium (Clear track with route markers, steep in parts, Hiking Boots)

Herepai Hut is accessed from the end of Putara Road, a 25 minute drive from Eketahuna (which is a cute little rural town in the Manawatu Region. It’s claim to fame is the giant kiwi statue, but Mount Bruce Sanctuary is not too far away and well worth checking out!). The drive follows an amazing little river (Mangatainoke Stream), with a few sweet swimming spots and rope swings along the way. It was too cold when we went, but in the height of summer I couldn’t think of a better way to end an overnight adventure than with a rope swing into a river! You definitely get that middle-earth, rural New Zealand, “what is a cell-phone?” feeling in this part of the Manawatu, which is pretty excellent after a stressful week!

Doc info for the tramp is here and the topo map can be found here. Remember to be prepared, check the weather forecast and tell someone where you are going and when to expect you home.

Herepai Hut is a great little option for a relatively short, but at time demanding walk. We are currently working on our “pack fitness” and this walk was great for that!

A friendly farm dog greeted us as we parked our car at the entrance to the walk (identifiable by a huge 3D map of the Park) which is always a highlight! The walk starts on private property before entering the Tararua Forest Park, then follows the stream for a kilometer and a half. The track crosses the river twice, each time via Swing-bridges! A good hike, for me, is defined by how excellent the swing bridges are, and these ones are right up there! The second bridge is rather high, with amazing views up and down the river.

After the second swing-bridge the track veers away and you begin a relatively steep and steady climb. You climb 370m in a kilometer, which is pretty grueling at times if your not a mountain goat. I may have muttered the words “these steps are for giants” on the way up. (And by “steps” I mean nature-made tree-root steps). And i was incredibly happy to come across the DOC junction post at the top of this section of track. Here you can chose to go to Roaring Stag Hut (to the left,  a slightly longer walk which requires uphill the ext day) or Herepai Hut (to the right).

If you carry on to Herepai, you simply walk up the ridgeline until the hut comes into view. On the way there are a few spots with stunning landscapes and patches of forest where the sunlight filters in through the moss-covered trees, making you feel like you’ve been transported into your childhood book of fairies and goblins. Or maybe that’s just me and my tree-loving (an occasional hugging) tendencies.

The hut itself is pretty standard. There’s not a whole lot there, except a great view out the window and an ever faithful wood burner. So if you’re looking for a luxury “glamping” experience, this is not the place for you! But hiking is always more about the company you keep, and I loved this little spot (excellent for an evening of card games by candlelight).

Happy Tramping

Moo-Chelle