Tararua Range is loved and feared by trampers everywhere. Access is excellent, just an hour’s drive from Wellington, and its craggy pinnacles have proven irresistible to many. Even the signs at entry points to the forest park, proclaiming that the tops are clagged in for four out of five days a year, do not deter the estimated 150,000 annual visitors. On the days when sunshine triumphs over 100kph winds and dripping wet fog, Tararua Range can’t be beaten.
With 50 marked huts sprinkled across the hills and valleys of Tararua Forest Park, there is a place to stop for a cuppa or the night on almost any hike. Having tramped and trudged my way to all of them, here is my definitive ranking of the 50 huts, from worst to best. Huts not on the official topo maps (a surprisingly high number) are disqualified, as are shelters.
Huts have been ranked on four key criteria.
Location The more spectacular the vista from the hut, the higher the score. (Note: as presiding judge I must disclose my firm bias for views from the tops.)
Character This may include history, quirky features, the presence (or absence) of a good hut library, and general vibe.
The Journey Every good tramper knows it is less about the destination and more about the journey. Top marks have been awarded for epic journeys, interesting routes and, on occasion, ease of access.
Condition Not a make-or-break criteria. After all, if you find yourself in a DOC hut, you’re probably not seeking creature comforts. But be warned: huts that have had their toilet doors ripped off by the wind have been marked down accordingly.
50 Tarn Ridge Hut
I first glimpsed the majestic red of Tarn Ridge Hut from several ridges over. Sadly, the hut has been pushed to the brink of disqualification due to its dire condition. As per the DOC website, it ‘only provides protection from the elements’. In my experience, sleeping in Tarn Ridge Hut is akin to sleeping in an alpine woodshed.
49 Waiotauru Hut
How to explain this diabolical ranking? Waiotauru Hut has the air of a bulldozer shed that has been abandoned by its owner – which is, in fact, its exact life story. Walk on, tramper, walk on.
48 Te Matawai Hut
As with Waiotauru Hut, upon reaching Te Matawai Hut you will instantly feel miserable – perhaps due to the amount of rubbish that impertinent visitors keep tucking into the corners of this weary old shelter.
47 Burn Hut
A perfectly acceptable hut in a rather boring patch of the Tararua. I suggest spicing things up by bush bashing along the ridges to Herepai Hut. Somewhere along that journey you’ll find yourself wishing for the serenity of Burn Hut.
46 Kime Hut
Also known as the Tararua Ice Box. I’ll give credit where it’s due: this hut is an important safety asset on a nasty piece of the range, but is as cold as its nickname suggests.
45 Tutuwai Hut
Points lost on account of the fact that Tutuwai Hut appears to be built on a bank that is slowly slipping into the Tauwharenikau River.
44 Holdsworth Lodge
A bookable lodge right on the trail head. I’ve only peeked in a window but it looks nice enough.
43 Alpha Hut
Although spacious and equipped with a fire, Alpha Hut is set in a rather glum location despite the exciting placenames that surround it: Dress Circle Track, Bull Mound and Hells Gate.
42 North Ohau Hut
When we visited this hut, there was a dead possum in the water tank.
41 Elder Hut
Cold. Basic. Unremarkable.
40 Penn Creek Hut
The track to Penn Creek Hut has been plagued by erosion over time. The hut itself is inexplicably stuffy; I woke up drenched in sweat the night we slept here.
39 Mid King Bivouac
I find the dog kennel-style bivouac so honest. What you see is what you get. Mid King features an outdoor campfire and a hut book so damp you will struggle to record your prowess in finding this remote bivvy.
38 Kapakapanui Hut
Points go to Kapakapanui for its versatility. It’s at the top of a loop track, making it a great trail run or weekend overnighter. However, the hut itself lacks character and vistas.
37 Atiwhakatū Hut
Scores points for its accessibility. With 26 bunks, it is one of the bigger huts in the park. Plenty of seating inside and a few campsites around the hut.
36 Roaring Stag Hut
It may have the best name of all huts in the Tararua, but this accolade is not enough to combat the messy graffiti scrawled and scratched on its interior surfaces. Better to push on to Cattle Ridge Hut.
35 Waitewaewae Hut
Resplendent in lime green paint, Waitewaewae scores points in the location category for being the gateway to some exciting huts, including Island Forks and Anderson Memorial Hut.
34 Jumbo Hut
On the classic Holdsworth–Jumbo loop, this hut could do with a little TLC. In the meantime, it offers a pleasant rustic vibe.
33 Dracophyllum Hut
Like many of the huts in the Tararua, Dracophyllum is notable for its mouldy interior. Happily, it has a cheerful exterior and makes a good lunch stop.
32 Parawai Lodge
A cosy and family-friendly hut set on the grass flats of Ōtaki Forks. It usually has an excellent book and magazine collection.
31 Cow Creek Hut
The type of hut that makes you feel like you’re back in the deer culling days. Cow Creek is tucked in the forest with just enough room inside for a handful of good friends to enjoy a well-earned meal around the fire.
30 South Ohau Hut
On a sunny day in summer, the trek up the south branch of the Ohau River is enjoyable. This hut is spacious and has a nice deck and grassy knolls to sprawl on.
Location 4 Character 5 Journey 5 Condition 6. Total 20/40
29 Cone Hut
A much-touted hut on account of being one of the few tōtara slab huts still standing in Aotearoa. It is best for a day walk, as the interior is a bit gloomy.
28 Punga Hut
Huts are rare in the northern reaches of the Tararua, and this one only appeared recently on the topo map. Originally an informal hunters’ hut, it is adorned with stag antlers. It isn’t in the most exciting part of the park, but it is well cared for by the local hunting community.
Location 5 Character 9 Journey 3 Condition 4. Total 21/40
27 Mangahao Flats Hut
There is a series of excellent swimming holes between the base of Triangle Spur and Mangahao Flats Hut. Points awarded for the choice of red for the front door, and the surprising number of bunks (16!) for a quieter pocket of the park.
26 Powell Hut
For those seeking an intimate hut experience, this palatial mountain lodge is not the place for you.
Location 6 Character 3 Journey 3 Condition 10. Total 22/40
25 Blue Range Hut
Bound to be a controversial ranking. Even though Blue Range Hut is painted in its namesake colour and adorned with all sorts of cutesy signage, every time I’ve stopped by I have been inordinately put out by the trudge up Blue Range, so down the rankings it goes.
24 Renata Hut
A lot of love has been put into Renata’s renovation. It isn’t in a particularly captivating part of the park, but the open fireplace and platform bunks make it well worth a visit.
23 Carkeek Hut
Full points to Carkeek Hut in the journey category; it is the most remote hut in the Tararua. This NZFS-style hut is in good condition with a nice wee foyer and an impressive collection of reading material.
22 Herepai Hut
Renovated in 2022 by the Backcountry Trust and located just on the bushline, Herepai is a happy hut.
21 Neill Forks Hut
Situated on the Hector River, this hut is flanked on all sides by steeply rising forest. It is roomy with a decent fireplace to keep inhabitants warm once the sun slips out of sight.
20 Cattle Ridge Hut
The bright red exterior of Cattle Ridge is a welcome sight after a slog up from Roaring Stag Hut. The hut does have a fireplace but wood tends to be hard to come by.
19 Winchcombe Bivouac
This wee bivvy, built in 2021 along a tricky route between Cone Peak and Mt Hector, offers shelter when you need it most. Sadly, it is already losing the battle with the damp clag so synonymous with the Tararua Range.
18 Waiopehu Hut
Full points to the condition and finishing on this hut. It has cute wooden signs and a clever divide between the kitchen/dining space and sleeping area. I’ve never visited this hut on a clear day, but I assume the view to Kāpiti Coast is lovely.
17 North Mangahao Hut
To be honest, this dog-kennel bivvy is rather shoddy. It scraped into the top 20 purely on account of how hard it is to navigate to.
16 Mid Waiohine Hut
A pleasant orange NZFS hut that wins points for the myriad rugged tracks that wind their way to this lovely spot on the Waiohine River.
15 Island Forks Hut
I know how cramped and dark the hut is, but I can’t fault the sense of adventure one must have to reach this seldom-visited spot. Worthy of a top 20 rating.
14 Arete Hut
The views from Arete Biv are so good that I’m not even put off by the fact that the interior walls become slick with condensation overnight.
13 Field Hut
A trip to Field Hut is like a trip to a museum only better, because you’re tramping. A solid ranking for this special hut, despite its reputation of being rat-friendly.
12 Tōtara Flats Hut
A very popular hut for families and groups, this one is set on a beautiful expanse of open river flats. The nearby Waiohine River offers a pleasant opportunity to wash off the day’s sweat and grime.
11 Mitre Flats Hut
Mitre Flats is in great condition and well looked after by Masterton Tramping Club. It has a lovely verandah upon which to contemplate the climb up to Mitre (1571m), the highest peak in the park.
10 Aokaparangi Hut
Compact with a cute set of twin single bunks, Aokaparangi offers a classic Tararua tops experience.
9 Dundas Hut
Dundas Hut is a delightful jaunt across the tops from Arete Hut, weather permitting. It has a nice wee lawn out front and a darts board inside.
8 Dorset Ridge Hut
Another remote hut, Dorset Ridge wins a spot in the top 10 thanks to the TLC heaped on it by informal caretaker Derrick Field.
7 McGregor Bivouac
This fine specimen is a classic Tararua dog kennel bivvy. Painted bright orange, it scores highly for its adventurous location off the top of McGregor Peak, near the infamous Broken Axe Pinnacles.
6 Mid Ōtaki Hut
Although Mid Ōtaki Hut (also shown as Ōtaki Hut on the topo) is intended for scientific use, it is left open for others. Comprising one cupboard-like room with twin singles, it is tiny, adorable and very much off the beaten track.
5 Nichols Hut
Nichols Hut is in an outstanding setting for sunset, and deep enough into the park that it would be unusual to encounter day trippers – although it is on Te Araroa. The stretch of goblin forest between Dracophyllum Hut and Nichols Hut envelops trampers in the mystical before the forest gives way to the bushy tops of Nichols Peak. The hut has an excellent loo that looks out over the Waiohine River and beyond.
4 Anderson Memorial Hut
Anderson Memorial Hut (1948) is a place to slow down, soak in the scenery and reflect. It was the first high-level hut to be air-dropped in New Zealand and is named after the pilot, Oliver Anderson, who died a year later flying supplies to Fiordland deer cullers. The hut is nestled in the bush, and the surrounding flora is Tararua at its best, with goblin forest marching along the ridge on the approach. The hut itself features a wee kitchen bench, six bunks and a fireplace. We opted for a sun-soaked nap on the balcony rather than staying the night, but the bunks looked very welcoming.
3 Maungahuka Hut
Maungahuka Hut gains a place on the podium thanks to its epic location. It is nestled right next to a tarn and overlooks the spiky Tararua Peaks. A 70-rung ladder hangs off the crux between Tuiti and Tunui, invoking a rush of adrenalin and terror for those attempting to access Maungahuka from Tararua Range. If you are like me, you’ll crawl the final 500m from the bottom of the ladder to the hut to collapse onto the deck, where you can enjoy the triumph of reaching the third-finest hut in the Taraura.
2 Sayer Hut
The cheerful appeal of Sayer Hut, one of the oldest in the range, is unsurpassed. A collection of rustic bar leaners is set in the meadow out front, and an assemblage of quirky signs has accumulated in and around the hut. A fireplace adds to the cosiness inside. Access along the Lower Waiohine Track is family-friendly, provided that the Waiohine River is low. The hut also scores points in the feel-good factor thanks to the Sayer family who, together with the Wairarapa branch of New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association, continue to lend a hand in maintenance. Be prepared to camp out, as Sayer Hut is popular.
1 Arete Forks Hut
The hut glows through the gloom, a warm orange beacon signalling the end of a long slog. A classic NZFS hut, Arete Forks is a good two days’ walk from the trailhead. The track from Kiriwhakapapa Campsite is notoriously tiring with little to no visibility beyond the trees immediately in front of you. By the time you arrive, you’ll feel like you’ve journeyed back to the deer-culling days. To add to the sense of times gone by, the chimney will smoke you out as soon as you manage to get the fire going. It just adds to the hut’s charm. The smeary window offers a glimpse of the tops. For any brave enough to venture off track, Arete Forks provides access to those tops via Pinnacle Spur. When we stayed here, we were joined by a trio of deer at twilight. A true Tararua experience.
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