Kawhatau Base to Crow Hut Loop Track
Track category
Tramping track
Time:
3 days
Description
Day 1: Kawhatau Base to Colenso Trig
Time: 3 - 4 hr
Climb the steep track up through forest behind Kawhatau Base to Colenso Trig (1406 m). Just beyond the trig site is a small sheltered basin with good camp spots beside a tarn. Stay here the night and look down on the lights of settlements in the Rangitikei and Manawatu.
Day 2: Colenso Trig to Crow Hut
Time: 6 - 8 hr
Continue on up the worn track through tussock for about one hour to the tops of the Mokai Patea range. Turn right and choose a path along the tops through alpine vegetation and bogs till you reach the very steep and slightly hair-raising poled ridge down to Crow Hut. Take extreme care on the top section of this ridge. The track heads back into forest and at the end drops steeply into the Kawhatau River. Negotiate a small bluff before rejoining a track along to the swingbridge crossing the river just before Crow Hut. Due to travel on the unmarked open tops this section should not be attempted in poor visibility or bad weather. Snow can occur any time of year.
Day 3: Crow Hut to Kawhatau Base
Time: 6 - 7 hr
From the hut a steep track climbs steadily for 3 - 4 hr to the northern end of the Hikurangi Range. Here it joins the poled route down from McKinnon Hut and descends the ridge down to the cableway across the Kawhatau River and on to Kawhatau Base. Unless the river is up, it is easy to cross the river here.
Getting there
Heading just north from Mangaweka turn right off SH1, cross the Rangitikei River and follow Kawhatau Valley Road. This eventually leads to Upper Kawhatau Valley Road which becomes Rangitane Road. Follow this through to the road end.
You must cross private land to get to the Kawhatau Base carpark. You must contact the landowners to make prior arrangements for access. The gate will be locked so if you haven't made arrangements you will not be able to enter. Contact details are available from the Department of Conservation's Manawatū Rangitīkei Area Office.
Please stop at the gate to sign in the intentions book and leave gates as you find them.
Plan and prepare
Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoors Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand's search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details about your trip.
Location map
