Maori Saddle hut

This is the middle of the three huts on the Haast - Paringa "Cattle Track" and the modernest. It sits close to a saddle between the Whakapohai and Waita Rivers that was used as a travel route in pre European times.

It is a couple of hours quicker getting to this hut from the northern road end than the southern road end and when we walked it in May 09 the track north of this hut had been maintained more recently and to a higher standard than to the south. It is reachable in a day from either end!

There is a benched branch track giving access to the Mataketake Range leaving the Maori Saddle to Blowfly hut section of track NE of Wrong Creek. I thought it might be for stock access to the tussock for grazing but have since been told by one of the last roadmen to work on the track that it provided pack horse & foot access to a mica mine.