Getting there
The entrance to Rimutaka Forest Park is on the Coast Road, 12 km south of Wainuiomata in the Hutt Valley.
The entrance gate to Catchpool valley is open during summer daylight saving 6 am–8 pm; winter 6 am–6 pm.
Know before you go
- Portable generators are excluded from the park.
- Fires may not be lit in Catchpool Valley.
- There is no cell phone or radio communication in the Catchpool and Orongorongo valleys. An emergency phone is located outside the field base.
- If the ford across the Catchpool Valley Road is flooded, do not attempt to drive through it.
- The Nga Taonga Trail provides alternative foot access if the ford is impassable.
- Check the weather forecast - the weather in the Rimutaka Forest Park can change rapidly. The Orongorongo River rises quickly and can take several days to drop to a level that is safe to cross.
- Before you go into the Orongorongo valley, advise someone where you are going, when you are returning, what they should do if you fail to meet your deadline, and who they should contact (employer etc.) if you get delayed in a hut by bad weather and/or flooded river.
- Always take warm, waterproof clothing, food and drink, even on short walks.