Griffin Creek - Rocky Creek
- 2 days loop track with a 2.5km road section
- Medium
An isolated circuit west of Arthur's Pass along lightly used tracks and rocky riverbeds.
Walking time
|
2 days
10 hr – 12 hr
|
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Type
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Loop track with a 2.5km road section
|
Grade
|
Medium |
Bookings
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No bookings — open access
No — open access
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Starts
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Harrington Creek, SH73 west of Jacksons |
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Ends
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Taipo River mouth, SH73 west of Jacksons |
Maps
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NZTopo50-BV19
NZTopo50-BV20 |
Altitude
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120m
–
974m
Altitude change 854m
|
This track appears not to be maintained by DOC, but rather by members of the Christchurch Tramping Club. It is a very interesting loop, deceptively short on the topomap but quite slow going, into isolated valleys. Griffin Creek Hut is an idyllic spot, lovingly maintained, with an outdoor bath and blue ducks in the river. This would have to be one of the best huts in the country.
The route is lightly marked and relatively hard to follow. There is extensive riverbed travel in both Griffin and Rocky Creeks that would be impossible if rivers were up and would be very cold in winter. Walking up Rocky Creek would be a navigational challenge as there are many confluences that are not clearly marked. The turn off in lower Rocky Creek is very easy to miss, although there is an alternative route out.
Even the beginning of the track is secret. Park at the car park just east of Harrington Creek or on the decaying, old section of highway west of the creek. Follow the old highway past farmland a minute or two to a gate by the creek. The track begins here on the true left bank and leads up the creek on the inside of the farm fence. The track is mostly marked with red or white Permolat strips or with riboons tied to trees. There are no familiar orange DOC markers.
After a few minutes the track leaves the fenceline behind, crosses to the true right and commences its 800m climb. With altitude, the forest becomes dominated by rata, supplejack vines and windfall. After 1.5 hours the track climbs alongside a large slip and into a forest of massive squat rata trees.
The track soon eases into scrub, with cedar, mountain neinei, mountain cabbage tree, and reaches a muddy junction 2.5 hours from the start. This junction at 974m is the highest point on the track with a trail right (south) leading along the tops of the Griffin Range. However the views are disappointing. An old rusty barrel provides a water supply if you need it. Don't stop for lunch here, as there is an excellent lookout just a few metres onward with striking views of the Razorback Ridge and the Tara Tama Range.
From here, the track descends quickly down the hillside to the Griffin valley floor. It is easy to lose the track, but if you look for cut tree stumps as well as actual markers, you should find it. At one point near the bottom, the track comes abruptly onto a precipitous, narrow slip. Do not cross onto this chute, but pick your way through the trees on the true left. The grassy Griffin riverbank is reached 1 hour from point 974.
Pick your way up the riverbed and watch for blue ducks. They are very common along this stretch of river in pairs or as singles. They will even come over to see you if you don't surprise them, the male making the high "Whi-oh" whistle and the female uttering deep croaks if she feels flustered. About 1 hour up the river, a track commences at the second of two nearby creeks, leading along an easy bush track, crossing another creek and coming out just above the hut in just 10 minutes.
The small but comfortable, and well decorated hut is situated on a small grassy flat above Griffin Creek. There is a bath and wood supply down by the river, and a small beach where blue ducks like to gather. Water is more easily obtained from another creek along the track to the hut's toilet, as it's quite a clamber back up from Griffin Creek with full billies.
More to come...