Image: Andrej Ricnik | Creative Commons
Outside washpool hut.
Washpool Hut

Located in Aorangi Forest Park in the Wairarapa region

This is a standard six-bunk hut in the Wairarapa region.

Washpool Hut is the nearest hut to the Putangirua Pinnacles.

The hut was built in 1962 by the New Zealand Forest Service for pest animal control work in the area. It had to be re-built soon after when a large rimu tree fell through the middle and completely destroyed it.

Facilities

  • Heating - wood burner

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
Approximate times from nearest road and hut
  • Cape Palliser Road via Aorangi Crossing: 4–5 hr (10 km)
  • Cape Palliser Road via stream bed: 3 hr 30  min (9 km). Permission required from Farman Turkington Forestry +64 274 48 8810 
  • Pararaki Hut: 2 hr 30 min - 3 hr 30 min (4.7 km)

Tracks to this hut

Location

NZTopo50 map sheet: BR33
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1791372, N5405681