18th and 19th December 2017
Location: Ruahine Forest Park
Trampers: Chris (Dad) and Ben (9yrs)Distance to Hut: 4.4k
Our walk in: 2hrs 35mins via Holmes Ridge Track (with food and photo stops)
Our walk out: 2hrs 30mins via the river (with food and photo stops)
From The Tamiki Road West car-par, it is 200m to a clearing with an information board an toilets. Here you can choose to take the Holmes Ridge track or the river route. This is also the start of a track up to Takapari Rd.
Holmes Ridge track climbs steeply up through some bush where it then joins a 4wd farm track. This grassy track undulates along the ridge top providing some nice views up and down the valley.
At the end of the 4wd track you enter the regenerating bush and gradually descend down to the river. From here it's 20 minutes upstream criss-crossing the river until you reach an orange triangle marker on the true right. This marks a short track which takes you up onto a small plateau where the hut is situated.
The hut was built in 1965 and is in really good shape. There is also a meat safe out the back. From the hut you can head up another track to Takapari Rd, or continue on to Cattle Creek Hut.
To return by the river, you just follow your nose down the valley. It's a really pleasant walk especially in summer when the flowers are out. You cross the river many times and occasionally find portions of track that navigate you through bush where there is no real riverbank. Again, look for an orange triangle on the true right of the river to pick up the track back to the car-park.
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