Distance: 5.0 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 522m to 609m. Gain: 138m. Loss: 158m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

From the bottom end of the Bullendale track, follow the riverbed downstream. An old 4WD track exists and may be followed. Multiple crossings are required - ankle to knee deep in normal flows. A dam is bypassed by a short tramping track on the true left. At least 3 more crossings are required below the dam and the creek at this point is knee deep and may easily become impassible after rain.

600mm below the dam a 4WD track cut out of the true right of the creek, below the Jennings Creek confluence. This leads to the Skippers cemetery and the info booth just beyond.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the info booth at skippers follow the road another 20m and turn right to the cemetery where the good 4WD road ends. An old 4WD track continues through Sawyers Creek, past the remains of the Skippers Hotel, and down into Skippers Creek. The creek must be crossed at least 3 times and is knee deep at this point and could easily become impassable after rain.

Once in the creek the most common route follows the riverbed upstream. Shortly before an old dam a rough track is marked on the east side of the creek by plastic road markers, bypassing the dam and returning you to the creek. Soon after the dam the old riverbed 4WD track reappears. It is possible to bypass the dam section by following the 4WD track as it climbs 200m around the dam, but it's hard to see when this would be useful as the hardest crossings are downstream of the track start.

Follow the riverbed / 4WD track upriver passing the large Butcher'sGully on your left and Sainsbury's Creek on your right. After 3km a signpost on the eastern bank beside a large willow tree marks the start of the Bullendale Track.