Image: Demelza Low | DOC
Bright orange hut with chimney surrounded by green trees and ferns.
Sentry Box Hut (historic)

Located in Ruahine Forest Park in the Hawke’s Bay region

Sentry Box Hut is a standard 4 bunk hut in the Ruahine Forest Park.

Facilities:

  • Water source: River
  • Heating source: Open fire

History of the hut

Sentry Box Hut is an historic hut with many of its original features still intact. It was built in April 1959 and is a good example of the wild animal control huts built during the New Zealand Forest Service era.

There have been three huts known as the Sentry Box, all built in close proximity to one another, nestled under the shelter of the limestone cliffs beside the Sentry Box Stream. The first was built in the 1880’s as a site from which a shepherd could keep the wild animals from the nearby station. This is the principal reason for the name Sentry Box Hut and the name was also applied to the nearby stream and peak. In the 1920’s the hut was moved to a warmer site slightly further up Sentry Box stream. It was burnt down in 1945.

The following year a government hunter salvaged the roofing iron and built a rough structure near the original site. This was also known as Sentry Box, but was known by other names as well. By 1958 this structure had fallen to ruin It was replaced in April 1959 by a new four bunk hut built by the NZFS, and retained the name Sentry Box.

Fees

  • Adult (18+ years): $10 per night
  • Youth (5–17 years): $5 per night
  • Child/Infant (0–4 years): free

Before you go, buy 1 Standard Hut Ticket (blue for adults, yellow for youth) for each night's stay. Put this in the honesty box at the hut. Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass that gives unlimited use at most Standard and Serviced huts for a 12 month period.

About hut tickets and passes | Retailers that sell hut tickets and passes

The parking area is 1 hour and fifteen minutes from Napier.

Sentry Box Hut is accessed from Mangleton Road. Follow SH50 to Maraekakaho and turn into Kereru Road. On reaching Kereru, turn onto Big Hill Road. The turnoff to Mangleton Road is on the left. Park at the DOC sign 16.5 km down Mangleton Road. Sentry Box Hut is a 10 minute walk from the parking area.

Location

NZTopo50 map sheet: BK37
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1881460, N5603865