Mt Hutt Forest - Scotts Saddle Track
Track category
Tramping track
Description
Time: 2 hr one way
Distance: 4.5 km
This track starts from the car park in Awa Awa Rata Reserve and climbs steeply to a ridge top. It passes through beech/tawhairauriki forest before climbing to alpine herb and tussock/wï communities. The track then joins the Mt Hutt Skifield access road at Scotts Saddle.
On a clear day there are good views from Scotts Saddle to Pudding Hill Stream, Mt Hutt ski field, Canterbury plains and the Port Hills above Christchurch.
Getting there
Awa Awa Rata Reserve is at the end of McLennans Bush Road, which is off Arundel Rakaia Gorge Road and is 12.5 km from Methven.
The track can also be accessed from Mt Hutt Skifield access road. During summer, there is a locked gate at Scotts Saddle; you will need to walk from here.
About the area
View from from Scotts Saddle
Mt Hutt Forest is mostly mountain beech/tawhairauriki, with broadleaf/pāpāuma, Hall's tōtara, fuchsia/kōtukutuku, marble leaf/putaputāweta, kōhūhū and pōkākā. Above the bushline the vegetation changes to alpine herbs, shrubs and snow tussock/wï kura.Southern rātā - rare in this part of Canterbury - grows in Scotts Creek and Awa Awa Rata Reserve.
Forest birds include bellbird/korimako, rifleman/tītitipounamu and grey warbler/riroriro. New Zealand pipits/pīhoihoi and occasionally kea are seen above the bushline.
Guides and commercial tourism providers