This track begins at a small car park beside SH6 between Fox Glacier and Haast and soon joins the historic Haast–Paringa Cattle Track, built by farmers and completed in 1883. 

The Cattle Track provided the main transport and communication route from Haast to the rest of the West Coast well into the twentieth century, and much is still in good condition.

The Moeraki/Cattle Track junction is reached after an easy hour. A short diversion across the Moeraki swing bridge to visit Blue River (Blowfly) Hut is worthwhile (20–30min return), but allow extra time to look through the impressive large-format book on the history of the Cattle Track that’s in the hut. 

Back at the junction, follow the sign for Horseshoe Flat Hut which is reached on the Lower Moeraki Valley Track. The track crosses side streams that are straightforward in normal flow but would become difficult or impassable in rain.

It wanders through beech and podocarp forest along the base of the hill. There are views up-river of the mountains towards the head of the valley, before the track emerges into a series of open wetland clearings featuring ribbonwood and scrub. Where the river has eroded the track, take care to follow newer sections that have been marked.

The track then crosses some open areas and heads onto the gravel riverbed to six-bunk Horseshoe Flat Hut, which is sited on a grassy open flat some 3.5hr from the Cattle Track junction.

To reach Middle Head Hut, continue on the Upper Moeraki Valley Route through bush before reaching grassy flats. The Moeraki River is crossed just over halfway between the huts. In normal flow this is no more than knee deep, but it should not be attempted if rain is forecast as it is unlikely to be crossable on the return. Continue upstream across gravel flats before picking up markers that lead into open beech forest.

Middle Head Hut is in a small clearing above the Middle Head branch of the Moeraki River.

A side-trip to a rock biv is worthwhile. The marked route starts just above the hut and drops steeply to the Moeraki River. Cross to the true right and follow markers uphill through beech forest to the biv (20min). The route continues for another hour or so up into the tussock of Middle Head basin.

The Moeraki River is the highlight of this trip, as it is constantly changing from white rapids and boulders to azure-blue tranquil stretches and back again.