Stanfield Hut route
Track category
Route
Time:
1 hr 30 min - 2 hr
Description
Stanfield Hut
Commencing from the end of the picnic area, the river bed route to Stanfield Hut is unmarked but generally easy to follow.
It is possible to return to the road end via the Holmes Ridge track which adds a further 30 minutes to the trip. The track commences approximately 20 minutes downriver on the true left from the hut and rises steeply to a 4WD grassed track.
About an hour from the road end, downriver from a small stream junction is the Rimu Walk which climbs steeply for one hour to Takapari Road.
There are further tramping opportunities from Stanfield Hut northwards to Cattle Creek Hut.
Walks and tracks in the area
A Frame Hut and Takapari Road Track
Rokaiwhenua Stream Walk
Getting there
The Stanfield Hut route starts at Tamaki Road end, located 13 km from Dannevirke. Dannevirke is 85 km from Napier on State Highway 2. North from Dannevirke, turn left into Ruahine Street which leads into Umutaoroa Road after 1.2 km. Travel for another 5.4 km, then turn left into Top Grass Road. Tamaki Road is located 2.3 km on your right.
About the area
At the road end there is a grassed clearing between the forest and the east branch of the Tamaki River with facilities available for picnicking, barbecues and camping.
From here there are opportunities for pleasant day trips, riverbed walks, longer tramping trips and a direct walk up to the soutern Ruahine leatherwood forest. A feature of the forests here are the large podocarp and rata that escaped logging in the 1930's.