Tauherenīkau Valley, Tararua Forest Park

Kiwi Ranch Road, north of Upper Hutt, is a busy entry point to Tararua Forest Park, and for many it’s the start or exit for the Southern Crossing. It’s also the easiest access to the Tauherenīkau Valley, which has a number of grassy flats with stands of mānuka. Slips are common along the Tauherenikau River’s edge and the track frequently skirts these sections via terraces.

For many Wellington trampers, this is more than just a valley to pass through. A return trip over the Puffer Saddle to Smith Creek Shelter will have been their first experience of the forest park.  The 20-bunk Tutuwai Hut, further up the valley, will have been a first overnighter and the hidden Joe Gibbs Memorial Hut could have been the first off-map find.

The valley is a relatively safe place to hone bushcraft skills. Over the 10km between Cone Hut and Smith Creek the Tauherenīkau River drops just 140m, and in summer, when it’s running low, it’s a wide and safe place to learn the basics of river travel and the intricacies of river crossings. It is not unusual to stumble across a group of high school kids or a bushcraft course being run by a Wellington tramping club. 

Two popular spots to cross the river are at the bases of the Block 16 and Block 18 tracks. Both tracks climb from the true right of the Tauherenīkau River onto Marchant Ridge Track, from where there’s a loop to Kiwi Ranch Road or a further journey to Alpha Hut.