Horopito Track Western Mt Ruapehu

We went up there at the end of July. You have to get a permit [no cost] from DoC which goes on the dashboard of your vehicle because of being on private land. The farm road in is a bit rough - we were in a 4WD. There are a couple of places where a car might have a problem esp if low to the ground. The track is in a pretty rough condition especially at the begining - when it's raining it's running with water like a small creek, so wet boots! It was well marked though and the track through the bush approx the last half before the hut is ok, some minor treefall. We took 3hrs to get to the hut from the carpark which i think was the same as the time on the sign. It rained quite a bit but the rivers didn't come up too much. All worth it when you get to the hut which is one of the best! Have you been there before?

Hi Fruitbat, No havent been to the hut before at all, sounds like a worthwhile visit. We are in the area at Labour Weekend and hope to walk up, visit the hut, then return the same way. Hopefully we wont get the rain you had. I had heard the track could be rather boggy, but thats not a problem. Great to hear its well marked, and not overgrown.

When you go up the road past the horrible wreckers yard, the turn off onto the farm road is not very obvious.The road veers left and the farm road is on right at a gate between 2 houses. Then you can see a DoC sign. At one point the farm track divides into 2 - take the left one. The gates were numbered 1, 2, 3. At gate 4 there is another gate to the left of it with a faded DoC sign. Go in there.You'll end up at the parking area which is a grassy clearing with DoC track sign. It's worth going over to the Cascades from the hut - only about 20mins. They are really neat and are part of the RTM track. Also, going the other way, the walk up to Lake Surprise is pretty cool too.

Thanks so much for that, will be really helpful.

Have a good trip. If you find a compass on a yellow cord it's mine!

The vehicle access to this track is impassable at present, due to a large number of windfalls across the road caused by the heavy snow in early October.A large four wheel drive ute had made it as far as the last gate. We walked in off the Ohakune Mountain Road to Lake Surprise, doubled back to Mangatururu Hut then out to Horopito.Not surpirsingly, after all the recent heavy rain, the lower reaches of the track were extremely wet, muddy and boggy.It took us four hours to walk from the hut to Lahar Farms raod entrance at Horopito, where we had cars waiting. Pleased to have done it, but not in a hurry to repeat, was the general consensus.Sorry fruitbat, no sign of your compass!

Shame about the track being blocked. Hope you enjoyed the tramp,though, except for the walk out which sounds a bit arduous. I guess the compass was washed away long ago!

One of those walks you enjoy more with hindsight, and it was totally different to anything else in the vicinity.