The Six Foot Track is an ideal day walk into Northland’s Waimā Forest, or for an overnight stay at Frampton’s Hut. 

From the parking area, walk past the DOC sign and the water tanks. Soon after, the road narrows to a walking track which climbs gently into the Waimā Forest. Beneath a low canopy of punga, rimu and rewarewa, small watercourses – easily crossed by rock hopping – cut through the track. Water pipes run along the side of the track, as the area is privately owned and has a farming history. 

After around 30min, there are glimpses of Hokianga Harbour. A short, steep, scramble up a bank reveals more views before the track plunges into a valley filled with lush, green subtropical forest. 

The track creeps along the edge of a muddy clay bank before the terrain flattens next to a small but fast-flowing river. The track winds deeper into the forest, following this river and a fence line. It can be slow going over a maze of slippery roots and slushy bogs. 

About an hour in, Falls Creek, deep and narrow here, needs to be crossed.

Then, the walking track is connected, over a stile, with a 4WD track lined with clay banks and young kānuka trees. There are no signs, but a few orange markers on the fence indicate the direction. 

After another 10min, and over a second stile is a DOC sign at a junction. Six Foot Track continues to the right and ends at a junction after 20min. From there options are either the Waimā Main Range Track (a difficult 16.8km route that links up with Waoku Coach Road in the east of the forest); or the Hauturu Highpoint Track, an advanced 5.7km track over the top of Hauturu (679m), which ends on the west side of the forest. To the left, a 10min detour off Six Foot Track leads to Frampton’s Hut.

After crossing a wide, shallow stream that flows over the road, the clay 4WD track curves upwards. Soon a right hand opening, with a lone green pole, marks the entrance to the small grassy clearing and Frampton’s Hut.

This hut was a homestead built sometime between 1977 and 1984 when the area was farmed. Now, it’s a six-bunk DOC hut. From here, the options are either to return via the some route, or continue into Waimā Forest for a longer adventure.