Waiorongomai Hut

Waiorongomai Hut is a basic 4-bunk hut at the forks of the Oreore Stream and Waiorongomai River. The hut has mattresses, river water and an open fireplace.

The hut sits back from the river in a small clearing in mature podocarp bush, about 100m below the confluence. Quite easy to miss the turnoff if you head up the main riverbed - cut back to through the bush if you do. The place gets visited most weeks in summer, and about one weekend in two for the rest of the year. The neighbouring Wharepapa Hut gets less use.

From the POP campground at the roadend a track in starts behind the dunny and runs 50m of to the top of a crumbling riverbank. From here it's about 1km upstream in the riverbed (wet feet guaranteed) to the park boundary where a cut track begins. There are 17 more crossings, and several in-river sections. River is ok in most conditions, but can be impassible after heavy rain.

Good easy overnighter / day trip if you don't mind wet feet.