Time: Overnight. 3 hours each way More info: Doc’s Website 
Difficulty: Medium/Advanced Find the Topo Map: here
Cost: One standard Doc Pass: $5/adult
“Remember to always tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back. Avoid tramping alone, and always be prepared for bad weather. When you get to any DOC Hut or Shelter, put your details in the green intentions book to aid any searches if something happens to you or your party.”
Mt Ruapehu as seen from the top point of the Zeke’s Hut Track
The Zeke’s Hut Track is located in the Hihitahi Forest, roughly half way between Taihape and Waiouru. There’s a Doc sign on the right hand side of the road (if you’re driving North from Taihape) which marks the start of the hike. Not gunna lie, we ended up in Waioru, had to turn around and paid a bit more attention to find it on the way back!
There’s a locked gate where the sign is, so we left our car just in front of it. The car was there overnight, in view of SH1 and we had no issues. (we figured its a main truckie road so it should be fine) BUT hollah if you know of a better place to leave the car!
Zeke’s Hut is a three hour walk from the road end. You return via the same track. The track is really varied for a short walk in the Central North Island. Farmland, a swing-bridge, native bush, toetoe and a GREAT view of Mt Ruapehu at the peak! When we went, it was a relatively miserable day, but the rain stopped and cleared just enough to snap the pic of Ruapehu (can you even tell that’s what it is?) It was so spectacular. We must return on a good day to get a better shot!
The track is half up hill, then half down hill. (up and over) so if you are just looking for a short day walk you could just pop up to the top (its really obvious when you get there; big clearing, a view of Mt Ruapehu and the remains of an old hut). I would estimate it would take roughly 3 hours return.
Word to the wise though, leave PLENTY of time to get to the hut before dark. We didn’t. The light disappeared quickly (especially in the forest). We stumbled across the hut wet, freezing and VERY hungry. We actually almost walked right past the hut, the track is a little unclear near the end and those triangular orange route makers become a but sporadic.
These two photos are taken at the top of the hill, just before you head down to the hut.
Anyway, here’s the low down:
You begin the walk by jumping over a couple of fences and then following the line of pine trees down to a farm-fence. Follow this along, until you get to the swing-bridge (oh man, who doesn’t love a good swing-bridge!!) After this, you can either keep following the fence along, and the up until you reach a stile marked with an orange pole (like we did, urgh) or do a diagonal uphill (like we wish we had done). There is a bit of a path, if you look closely (more obvious from the top mind you) but if you aim for roughly half way up you should be good.
From there you enter the forest. Caution: Slippery when wet!!!!!! (or should I say mud bath when wet!) Its pretty steep in parts too, so be careful if the weather has been bad.
Eventually (roughly 2 hours in) you’ll reach a clearing. This is the PEAK! Yay! Now, I know the topo says that the track divides in two here. It doesn’t. Follow the orange markers. And DO NOT worry for the next hour that you’re going the wrong way. (yea, sorry about that!) As long as you’ve seen what looks like the foundations of the old hut, you’re going the right way! I promise!
Then its just about following the track down till you reach the hut (an hour, a little longer if its in the dark like when we did it). At points you feel like you haven’t seen a route marker (Orange triangle) for forever and the track splits and looks more like animal tracks than a path. Follow your nose, keep heading down (and to the right) and you’ll make it. You’ll head back into the trees and find another one of those little orange triangles in no time. (if only I had been so chill at the time. Not gunna lie I was PREEETTY relieved when I sighted that glorious hut)
The hut itself is a pretty standard back-country hut. 4 bunk beds. A great wood burner. Looks like its been home to many a hunter (thanks for the loan of the tea-towel, sorry i singed a hole in it) Note: there are NO GAS COOKERS and NO GAS. Bring your own. (which you should anyway).
Also, scope out how to get to the long drop before dark. Its pretty hard to see and the path to the loo also leads in another direction to a meat-drying-box (which is super creepy to come across at night if you don’t know its there, just FYI).
What I loved about this hut/track was that you felt like you were in the middle of no-where, but really the walk isn’t too long. It was so quiet and peaceful and a great little get away for a little touch of nature after a busy week at work. At night we could here a Morepork calling, and I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t love listening to their distinctive call, “Moooooorrrrre-poooooooorrrrk.”
One more great thing: Once you’ve climbed back up and over that hill, Maccas in Taihape now serves breakfast all day. So you can take your time getting up in the morning!
The view out the hut window!
Happy Tramping
Moo-chelle
My brother and I just got back from this walk. It’s a great little walk off the tourist path, although avoiding the cows in the farmland was entertaining!
We struggled to find the track on the way in after the suspension bridge. We somehow missed the big orange arrow and ended up bush-bashing our way through the forest near the creek until we eventually met up with the track (in doing so we missed a lot of mud on the way in haha). We had the hut to ourselves which was nice, but the interior of the toilet was quite dirty, with bugs, cobwebs and god knows what else plastered across the floor, walls and seat! My brother said he felt a slight earthquake tremor at 2:20am and we looked on Geonet and there had been a 3.2 magnitude earthquake near Hunterville so that could’ve been it. I agree with you about feeling in the middle of nowhere, even though you’re not!
Hi Lucas, it is a bit tricky finding the start of the track in the forest, but you are lucky to have missed all the mud! There was an earthquake in the wee hours when we were there as well, and I freaked out because I knew the mountain was showing signs of activity at the time! Such a great little walk =D
What was most memorable for me was the variety of flora. the greatest I’ve ever seen. It was the first time I had seen NZ cedar. Quite a bit of bird life too. There was a notable area of umbrella fern as you start the descent to the hut.
Great views from the top. We could see cars on the road near Waiouru & see for miles out to the east & north east.
I became a victim of the mud too. On the way out I wasn’t being careful enough & one leg sank into the mud almost to my knee. As I tried to extricate myself I lost balance & slowly toppled sideways into the mud. My son behind me said not to move while he grabbed his camera. Even though I didn’t wait for that he still managed to get a couple of shots of me in the mud. He reckoned the slow motion toppling into the mud was quite funny. Suppose it was.
It would have been good if there had been a sign at the top pointing in the direction of the swingbridge to save going along the row of pines & then along the stream. We managed to pick out the triangles halfway up the fence line where the track starts into the reserve & go directly there.
On the way back we washed the mud off our boots in the water coming through a culvert near the swingbridge.
Wow!! What an adventure!!! Such a lovely walk, might need to go again (in the summer when it’s not muddy!)