Tracks
Big River Hut
Big River - Inangahua Track
Track
• 2 – 3 days. Medium. Loop with brief road section.
Faded gold miners' trails into the remains of the Big River gold town, past old stamper batteries, rails, mines and buildings.
Big River Track
Track
• 1 day. Easy/medium. One way.
Following the line of the old road from Waiuta to Big River, this is an easy forest walk between goldmining ghost towns.
Big River Dam
Track
• Easy/medium. Return by the same track.
Short route from the Big River goldmining town site up to the old dam in open tussock flats.
Big River - Rainy Creek route
Track
• 1 day. Hard. One way.
An old route from the Big River goldmining ghost town out to SH7 and the Inangahua River.
This route follows faded trails that may be overgrown or completely gone.
Track grades
- Easy
- Unusually smooth, well-marked track, easy gradients. Up to about 4 hours per day.
- Easy-medium
- Typical lowland track. Generally easy walking and well marked. Ascents of up to 1000m. Some easy river crossings, unmarked travel along rivers.
- Medium
- Typical tops track. Experienced trampers only. Rough, muddy and poorly marked or unmarked. Ascents of up to 2000m. River crossings, open tops, passes. Up to about 8 hours per day.
- Medium-hard
- Navigation and snow skills (use of ice axe and crampons) required. Glaciers, exposure to falls.
- Hard
- Rough or non-existent tracks. Following ridges, bush spurs, and rivers. Steep ascents, arduous travel, hazardous conditions, snow and navigation skills essential.