- Area
- Tararua Forest Park
- Distance
- 5.36km to hut
- Total Ascent
- 596m
- Time
- 3hr
- Grade
- Easy
- Accom.
- Burn Hut, six bunks
- Access
- Mangahao Hydro Electric Power Station access road, east of Shannon
- Map
- BN34
- Notes & Map
- Burn Hut, Tararua Forest Park (pdf, 507 KB)
- GPX File
- Burn Hut Tararua Forest Park (gpx, yo 87 KB)
- Your device does not support GPX files. Please try a different device.
Burn Hut is in the northern Tararua Forest Park, not far from Shannon.
The access road is gravel and winds its way towards the Mangahao Hydro Electric Power Station for around 5km. Park at Mangahao Lower No 2 Reservoir, and cross to the start of the track. A pleasant walk along the Mangahao River leads towards a high point of 798m.
Once on the ridge line, you’re out of thick bush, and the scrub is low enough to enjoy views of the surroundings and even the hut can be seen early on.
Burn Hut is well maintained and designed. It has a great entranceway, where gear can be removed, and platform bunks that allow the interior space to be well utilised.
It is possible to make a visit to Burn Hut a loop by dropping down to Mangahao Upper No 1 Reservoir and then walking the access road back to the lower reservoir.
This would be a lot longer than the way in and would include more tops travel.
Support Wilderness
Since 1991, Wilderness has had one simple goal: to help Kiwis ‘See more, do more, live more’ of New Zealand.
If you value our mission, please consider subscribing. As a loyal supporter, you’ll receive these benefits:
- New Zealand’s best outdoor journalism We’ve won multiple awards for our journalism and magazine production.
- NZ’s best trips. Browse more than 610 trips with downloadable maps and route notes.
- Trustworthy gear reviews. Each month we review gear we’ve been bashing and thrashing for months so you can determine if its worth your money.
- Member benefits. Our WildCard provides discounts at more than 20 partners throughout New Zealand.
- Your support goes a long way. Your subscription will help us fund NZ’s best outdoor journalists and writers and ensure Wilderness will be there to inspire the next generation of outdoor Kiwis.
A subscription costs as little as $7.00/month for instant access to all articles, trips, gear reviews and gear guides.
View all our subscription options and join the club.
Already a subscriber? Login Now.