North Ohau Hut

Tararua Forest Park

North Ohau Hut is a cozy 4-bunk hut in the middle reaches of the North Ohau River in the Tararuas. A joint project of Horowhenua Deerstalkers and DoC. The best designed of small huts built in recent years: fully insulated, light and including a wood-burner and 4 bunks. The deck is almost as big as the hut, with a view over the river. A great hut and a great sign if this to be the template for future construction. Who says small huts can't have a fire!

Access is not simple, meaning this hut doesn't get a huge amount of use. Most people walk up the Ohau River which includes at least one gorge. The river changes after each flood, but count on getting your shorts wet.

Great work has been done on cutting 'Al's Track' up the ridge behind the hut to pt 897 (starts behind the longdrop). From the ridge a good spur 300m to the north leads to the Mangahau river 2km above Mangahao Flats hut, or the ridgeline south takes you to for Girdlestone Saddle.

South Ohau Hut • By mantis. Licence: C.
Key information
Owner
Owner: DOC
Category
Standard Hut
Sleeps
Sleeps 4
4
Facilities
Toilet, Enclosed wood/coal burner
Water supply
Tap or tank water
Getting there
Getting there
Poads Road (Levin): Here ->Swingbridge 4km (2-4hrs, river route, gorges) ->Poads Road 4km (1-1.5hr, track)

Mangahau Road (Shannon): Here ->Mangahau Rvr 2km (track to pt 897, route to river, 1.5-2.5hrs) ->Mangahau Flats Hut 2.5km (45m-1.5hr, track) ->roadend 9km (2.5-6hrs, track)

Te Matawai Hut: Hut ->Girdlestone Saddle 3km (track to ridge, route beyond) ->Te Matawai Hut (2.5km, 1.5-2.5hrs)

Sth Ohau Hut: 5km (2-4hrs, riverbed route / bush route via Deception Spur)

Unlocked
This hut is unlocked and open to access.
Bookings
No bookings — open access
No — open access
Other
Altitude
300m
Mobile phone coverage
No coverage
Maps
NZTopo50-BN33
Map
ID 5700

About this hut

Added 16 August 2010 by madpommadpom. 2 revisions, most recently 16 August 2010 by madpommadpom.
111 views in the past year (9 per month).