Youngman Stream Track

Youngman Stream Hut makes for a good, easy overnight trip in the Lees Valley. It is often combined with a visit to Tarn Hut to make a 2 or 3 day circuit. 

The Lees Valley is located at the back of the Canterbury Plains, and accessed via a long winding shingle road through the Ashley Gorge. Track access is signposted from the road, and is across 3km of tussock flats. A vehicle track crosses private land to the car park. With a standard car, you might park at the main road and walk or bike in to the car park. Higher or 4WD vehicles should be fine.

Much of the track crosses private land, so should be closely followed, with gates left as found.

From the car park, follow the fence line down to the Rakahuri / Ashley River and follow it up the true right bank. Poles soon lead over to a 4WD track, which leads across matagouri / mānuka scrubland. 

Soon, you cross the Lilburne River and come to the track branch. The Lilburne Route heads left, straight up to Tarn Hut, while the Youngman Stream Track continues by the river. Past sheep yards, the track leads into mānuka scrub and in and out of beech and mānuka forest. Past the damp Tent Gully, the track climbs well above the river before dropping to cross the Rakahuri directly to the hut.

The Rakahuri can also be followed all the way to the hut. 

As an aside, the Lilburne River was known as Lillburn until 2003 when the name was corrected. The river was named after Andrew Lilburne who farmed the area in the 1860s. Both spellings are found in the area.