Iron Bark Hut Track

From the Mokai Road end, follow the Mokai Roadend to Otukota Hut Track . From here a well-maintained track leads to Iron Bark Hut. After crossing the river, climb 300 vertical metres to reach the junction with the track that traverses the top of Pukataramea. Turn north and begin a gradual descent back into the Maropea River and on to Iron Bark Hut. The final few metres into the river are steep and require care. An alternative route is to follow the Maropea River directly to Iron Bark Hut. This way is untracked and involves scrambling in and out of the river, with an excellent chance of spotting whio in the rapids. Either route between the huts takes about two hours. From Iron Bark Hut you will need to retrace your steps back to the road.

Otukota Hut Iron Bark Hut

To get to the Mokai Road end, head north from Mangaweka and turn right off SH1 onto Gorge Road. Cross the Hautapu River and then take the first left onto Wairanu Road, then the first right onto Torere Road. Stay on Torere Raod until you get to Torere junction and then turn right onto Mokai Road. Follow Mokai Road all the way to the end. The road end and carpark area is steep and can be slippery. AWD/4WD vehicles are recommended. Use this location in Google Maps to find your way there.

We encourage you to continue gaining the skills and knowledge required for a safe trip. The NZ Mountain Safety Council has lots of free resources and information you can use. These can be accessed via www.mountainsafety.org.nz . Level up in your outdoor knowledge with these interactive online learning tools: Trip Planning Tramping / field Skills Basic Navigation River Safety Additionally, check out the range of helpful videos available from the NZ Mountain Safety Council YouTube channel .