Poutaki Hut
Ruahine Forest Park, Gwavas Conservation Area
Poutaki hut in the Gwavas Conservation Area, just east of Ruahine Forest Park - a tidy 4-bunk hut overlooking the Hawke's Bay.
The Wakarara Range has just one marked walking track, climbing from Leatherwood Rd in the forestry to the west to the summit and hut. This is a short but quite steep walk through Manuka bush, dotted with increasing numbers of wilding pines. The track is well marked, and occasionally cut - but easy to follow. The summit gives views back to the Ruahine Range, and east over the Hawkes Bay. The hut lies in a small grassy clearing on the eastern face 70m below the peak.
This is a pleasant 4-bunk hut with woodburner and water tank. There's plenty of manuka for the fire, not to mention the odd wilding pine. Pigs seem common and red deer are also present.
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Owner
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Owner: DOC |
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Category
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Basic Hut/Bivvy |
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Sleeps
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Sleeps 4
4
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Facilities
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Toilet, Enclosed wood/coal burner |
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Water supply
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Tap or tank water |
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Getting there
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Wakarara Road (old mill site) - 3km (road) + 2km (tramping track) - 1.5-3hrs: Vehicular access to the forestry tracks beyond the mill site is blocked, so it's either a 3km walk on forestry roads, or an easy mountain-bike ride from the Old Mill Site to the start of the track at the end of Leatherwood Road. From Leatherwood Rd, a well-marked, sparsely maintained track climbs steeply to the Wakarara Ridgeline, which it then follows for 1km to the antenna site before dropping 70m east to the hut |
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Unlocked
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This hut is unlocked and open to access. |
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Bookings
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No bookings — open access
No — open access
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Altitude
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1,000m |
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Mobile phone coverage
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No coverage Excellent! There is a cell tower on the spot height above the hut. |
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Maps
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NZTopo50-BK37
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Link
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www.doc.govt.nz/p...http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/backcountry-huts-by-region/hawkes-bay/poutaki-hut/ |