Hinerua Hut, located on the eastern side of the Ruahine Range, is a small four-bunker perched in a clearing among the beech trees near the bushline.

Access is possible from Hinerua Road, but you’ll need permission to cross private land on a farm vehicle track, which provides access to a tramping track over Hinerua Ridge.

Alternatively, you can reach the hut from the south, beginning at the end of Mill Road. Poles mark a descent down to the Tukituki River, which needs to be forded, then a rough informal route climbs over scrubby hillsides (again over private land) up to the forest park boundary and the start of the formal track. Finally, there are remote routes to the hut from North Block Road via the Waipawa River and Middle Stream, or from the west over Broken Ridge.

Whichever route you choose, it’s sure to be an adventure, which only adds to the hut’s appeal.