Heaphy Track Brochure
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Plan and prepare HEAPHY TRACK Duration: 4–6 days Great Walks season Distance: 78.4 km (one way) Walking: All year Mountain biking: 2–3 days Mountain biking: 1 May – 30 November Distance: 78.4 km (one way) Elevation profile & track guide HEAPHY Perry Saddle Hut and Campsite 28 bunks Aorere Shelter 10 campers Gouland Downs Hut and Campsite and Campsite TRACK 1000 m 10 campers 8 bunks If it’s varied and rugged 10 campers 750 m landscapes you’re looking for, Brown Hut and Campsite you’ll be spoilt for choice on 500 m 16 bunks the Heaphy Track. 20 campers Retrace the steps of early 250 m Māori seeking pounamu 0 m (greenstone) and 19th century 5 hr / 17.5 km 2 hr / 7 km 1 hr 30 min / 5.4 km gold prospectors. You’ll pass through expansive tussock downs, lush forests and nīkau palms before reaching the roaring seas of the West Coast. Tackle the track in 4 or 5 days, or take your time and soak up the views over 6 days. There is a popular 2-day, overnight return trip on the western side from Day 1: Brown Hut to Perry Day 2: Perry Saddle Hut to Kōhaihai to Heaphy Hut. Saddle Hut James Mackay Hut You can also mountain bike the 5 hours, 17.5 km 6 hours 30 minutes, 24.2 km track during the mountain biking As you wind your way through bush Start your day walking through tussock clearings season (1 May to 30 November), you’ll climb gradually, following a route and patches of beech. Where the valley widens, which takes 2–3 days. once surveyed for a road. It’s 4 hours to the expansive tussocklands of Gouland Downs are Aorere Shelter, which affords views of revealed. Takahē, which are rare, flightless native The Heaphy Track in Kahurangi Aorere valley and, on clear days, Mount birds, have been released here – you may be lucky National Park can be hiked in either Taranaki/Egmont. At Flanagans Corner, enough to see one. direction. The track is well marked about 30 min before Perry Saddle Hut, On your way to Gouland Downs Hut, you’ll pass the a short side track takes you to the and signposted, but some sections famed pole where hikers have tied their old boots. highest point on the Heaphy Track West of the hut, you can visit the ‘enchanted forest’, may be steep and rough and the (915 m) and some stunning views. track could be muddy. This brochure an area of mossy beech forest covering limestone formations. The track continues past moss-covered describes a 4-day hike for independent, beech trees and through the tussock to Saxon Hut. non-guided walkers travelling from It then takes you on to James Mackay Hut, which Brown Hut to Kōhaihai. offers views of the Tasman Sea and Heaphy River mouth 750 metres below. Duration: 4 – 6 days Distance: 78.4 km (one way) Mountain biking: 2–3 days Distance: 78.4 km (one way) COVER: Swing bridge over Wekakura Creek, DOC/90 Seconds Great Walks season ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT: Monster Valley; stokedforsaturday.com; stokedforsaturday.com; Walking: All year Baptiste Maryns Mountain biking: 1 May – 30 November MAIN PHOTO: Heaphy Hut, Baptiste Maryns shelter car hut campsite and toilet park Saxon Hut James Mackay Hut and Campsite and Campsite 16 bunks 28 bunks 10 campers 10 campers Kōhaihai Shelter and Campsite Heaphy Hut 50 standard and Campsite Katipo Creek Shelter Scotts Beach campsites Lewis Hut 32 bunks and Campsite Campsite online booking 20 bunks 40 campers 10 campers 20 campers required 1 hr 30 min / 5.4 km 3 hr / 11.8 km 3 hr 30 min / 12.5 km 2 hr 30 min / 8 km 5 hr / 16.2 km Day 2: Perry Saddle Hut to Day 3: James Mackay Hut to James Mackay Hut Heaphy Hut Day 4: Heaphy Hut to Kōhaihai River mouth 6 hours 30 minutes, 24.2 km 6 hours, 20.5 km 5 hours, 16.2 km Start your day walking through tussock clearings Beech forest gives way to nīkau palms On your final day, the track south to Kōhaihai follows the and patches of beech. Where the valley widens, as you descend to the Heaphy River rugged coastline of the West Coast, and passes through the expansive tussocklands of Gouland Downs are and Lewis Hut, where you’ll encounter forests of rātā and karaka trees, vines and groves of nīkau revealed. Takahē, which are rare, flightless native the infamous West Coast sandflies. palms. Soon Scotts Beach appears. The clearing here is a birds, have been released here – you may be lucky The 148.8 m-long Heaphy River bridge good spot to rest before climbing over Kōhaihai Bluff. The enough to see one. is the largest suspended deck bridge built track follows the bank of the Kōhaihai River for 400 metres On your way to Gouland Downs Hut, you’ll pass the by the Department of Conservation. to the car park. At Crayfish Point there is a track high famed pole where hikers have tied their old boots. The track then takes you through a forest above the beach well away from the sea. Take care crossing West of the hut, you can visit the ‘enchanted forest’, of kahikatea, rimu and rātā – be aware Crayfish Stream, particularly after or during rainfall, as it an area of mossy beech forest covering limestone that in heavy rain, especially at high tide, can flood quickly. formations. The track continues past moss-covered sections of the track may be prone to Sections of the coastal track between Heaphy Hut and beech trees and through the tussock to Saxon Hut. flooding. Towards the river mouth, nīkau Kōhaihai may be affected by large wave surges during It then takes you on to James Mackay Hut, which palms become more common, and the high tides and rough seas. This can cause the track to offers views of the Tasman Sea and Heaphy River roar of the ocean on the wild West Coast be temporarily impassable. Check tide timetables at mouth 750 metres below. grows louder. Do not swim at the Heaphy www.doc.govt.nz/heaphytides or in Heaphy Hut or River mouth as there are rips and you Kōhaihai Shelter. may get washed out to sea. The section of track around the Kohaihai River mouth may experience flooding when the river mouth becomes blocked. An alternative track has been put in place to allow visitors to bypass this area when necessary. B i g R Brown Hut i v Collingwood e Percy Peak and Campsite " r 1163m# S C a l a r Rocks Point x t Mount White " " k Mackay R o 1075m i v Downs n # e R r i v e Big Bay Mount Teddy r James Mackay Hut 870m# Three Pointer 909m and Campsite # Gouland Downs Hut and Campsite Steep Point r e " v "" "" Mount Perry Saxon Hut Brown Hill i # Aorere Shelter R "" 1238m 1104m # s and Campsite i " and Campsite w k e e e E L r C Gouland "" G y f f Downs N u Perry Saddle Hut B Wekakura Point A Tubman Hill R #897m and Campsite T A U B M A N O R A k N A R G e E o e A r r e U E C r e T Lewis Hut G Mount Gouland Whakapoāi Point I " n G N R H o 1474m # a W e # u g i a l A v I p a Mount Inaccessible n a h d e y C r e e k R 1495m n r a R l Burnt Hill i D v F # 1325m G e N u n n r e r A R L i v U e r GO Heaphy Bluff Mount Ross 1309m Heaphy Hut # 1442m H # e a p h y R i v e r "" and Campsite Kahurangi Kahurangi Mount Barr Amohia Peak National Park Aorere Peak 1231m #1542m Marine Reserve # #1553m 1730m " Great Walk hut # Gunner " Great Walk campsite Downs D O M E T T R A N G E TASMAN Mid Point Katipo Creek Shelter Mount Gibbs " MOUNTAINSStandard campsite # "" and Campsite 1645m Mount Domett Centre Mountain " Shelter 1645m# 1565m Crayfish Point L a k e # Mount Cobb # #1325m E l m e r " Car park 1716m Potential for wave surge at r Toilets are available at e " v high tide between i all huts and campsites R Heaphy Hut and i Great Walk Scotts Beach Campsite a Kōhaihai. " h i 1534m a # Tramping track h 1583m ō # Road Kōhaihai Bluff Kōhaihai Shelter K and Campsite " " 0 1 km #1154m ¯¯ Karamea The map in this brochure is a guide only and " should not be used for navigational purposes. Places to stay # DOC operates 7 huts and 9 campsites along the Heaphy Track, which must be booked in advance all year round. Campers are not permitted to use hut facilities. Lewis Hut will be removed after 27 April 2021. Kōhaihai is a Standard campsite which must be booked online in advance on the Campsites/Huts/Lodges booking system. See www.doc.govt.nz/campsites for details. Great Walks huts Great Walks campsites Visit www.doc.govt.nz/ Visit www.doc.govt.nz/ heaphytrack for prices. heaphytrack for prices. Huts have bunks, mattresses, a water The campsites offer basic facilities supply, toilets, hand-washing facilities including toilets, a sink and a water and heating with fuel. All huts have supply. Some also have picnic tables cooking fuel, except Brown Hut and and cooking shelters.