An easy walk to a modern spacious hut in a grandiose mountain environment that’s suitable for families to undertake on a weekend tramp.

From the Hawdon Shelter car park the track climbs onto a bush terrace which it follows for a few hundred metres before dropping into the Hawdon riverbed and the first ford of the river. There is a stopbank here which can be followed to its upstream end before descending onto the riverbed and fording the river just above a channel. 

This is normally an easy ford, though some may like to link arms for security, but the river is often impassable after or during heavy rain. 

Once across the river, head north-west towards the junction with Sudden Valley Stream, passing through or over the riverbed fenceline and gaining the river flats beyond where orange standards lead into the forest alongside the river flats. This section of easy track is delightful to follow as it meanders the bush terrace for about an hour, passing beside rushing streams sparkled by the dappled light of the forest.

Once the track leaves the forest it heads directly into the main riverbed, fords the river again, and joins a 4WD trail on the far side which goes through to the junction with East Hawdon Stream. 

Ford the East Hawdon directly to the north bank and pick up the marked track once again as it leads through grassy flats and forest alongside the Hawdon River. After about 20min the valley narrows and there’s another ford of the river to gain the track which is now on the west bank. 

There’s a small gorge to negotiate before returning to the gravel riverbed and inspiring views of the upper valley and Main Divide. It’s then another narrow section of river before the track climbs briefly above the riverbed before again descending over a rock step to the riverbed just before Discovery Stream enters the Hawdon. 

A normally easy ford leads to the far bank where poles lead through the forest about 10min from the hut. These can be hard to spot due to flood damage.

The last section climbs gradually to the high river terrace and the hut with its large viewing deck and superb view of the upper Hawdon Valley lorded over by Mt Hunt and Rugged Peak.

If there’s time or a spare day, an interesting side trip can be made along the marked track to Walker Pass (1095m), a Main Divide crossing.