Grade
AdvancedDistance
9 km each wayWalking
4-5 hours each way
The first half of the walk to Nikau Flat Hut from Wairata follows a farm track at the edge of regenerating bush. Then, at the corner of a sheep paddock, where you will see the sign advising it is a further one to two hours to Nikau Flat Hut, you will quickly be immersed in tall forest. Rimu/tawa forest with many epiphytes and climbers and a multitude of other trees, tree ferns and nikau palms cloak the upper Waioeka River catchment - a delightful canopy and environment to walk below and through.
Good balance and confidence on unstable ground is needed for this track. Mostly the track is a benched formation which sidles across steep, often bluffy, hillsides. Many side streams and seepages cross the track and, in one place, narrow rock steps have been cut where a waterfall drops on to the track. In places, old slips have swept away the track leaving unstable scree or slides of shattered rock. Although a narrow track has been reformed across these areas, they are still mobile. You may need to kick steps into soft mobile scree. As you walk, stay upright, walking confidently to maintain your momentum.
The track to Nikau Flat Hut has become more challenging since a deeply incised slip near the hut removed the track, forcing walkers to traverse the last 300m along the Waioeka River. The track is currently officially closed, but capable walkers can reach the hut safely if the river is clear and in normal flow. Two river crossings will be needed. For safety, the Waioeka River flow should be no more than 8 cumecs and the river level no more than 1.2m at the Waioeka River cableway gauge FlowRate Aotearoa. If you plan to stay at Nikau Flat Hut overnight, check for a fine overnight forecast, so the river isn't expected to rise. DoC website Nikau Flat Hut
Keep a look-out for whio when you get glimpses of the river, and when you are on the river terraces near the hut.
Upstream are Koranga Forks, Tawa, and Kahunui Huts, which you can reach from Nikau Flat Hut by following the river terraces, and crossing the Waioeka River multiple times. A benched track connects Koranga Forks Hut with the Moanui Road end.
Kotepato Hut is 1km up Te Pato Stream, downstream of Nikau Flat Hut.
History of the trail
Nikau Flat Hut is a standard, substantially renovated, six-bunk hut built in 1965. It has aluminium joinery - door/frame and windows, which may have been installed in the early 2000s. The water tank is a black plastic one, replacing the original one of corrugated iron. The open fire and timber bunks are original.
Tips & Logistics
From SH2 Waioeka Gorge Road, drive along Wairata Road and Redpath Road and park on the grass at the end of the road, at the parking sign.
To avoid the dangerous slips across the track near Nikau Flat Hut, when you are walking in to the Hut from Wairata, the easiest place to drop down to the Waioeka River is about 100m past the last major tributary on the true left. This pretty tributary stream is about 500m before the hut. Cross the stream and go a little further along the track, then walk down from the track through the bush to a small boulder beach where you can cross the Waioeka River easily at normal river levels. Then walk upstream along a shingle river terrace, and cross back to the true left a little below the hut - a deeper crossing.
Before you go, buy one Standard Hut Ticket for each night's stay.
- Adult (18+ years): $10 per night
- Youth (5–17 years): $5 per night
- Child/Infant (0–4 years): free
Note the hut ticket number in the hut book.
Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass that gives unlimited use at most Standard and Serviced huts for 12 months.