Distance: 22.0 km (10.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 534m to 701m. Gain: 172m. Loss: 23m . Gradient: 1 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Flat (difficulty: 1/5)
Flat

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 roadend at Huxley lodge, cross the Hopkins directly towards the Dobson. Follow the Dobson river flats upstream to Grough Hut, which sits atop an alluvial fan on the western bank in beech. 5-8hrs

A 4WD track traverses the eastern valleyside but is on private land and permission may be required from Glen Lyon station to use it. The two lower huts (Station Hut and Le Crens Hut) are both private and permission is required from Glen Lyon to use them.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Follow the riverbed downriver from Grough Hut. A 4WD track traverses the eastern valleyside but is on private land and permission may be required from Glen Lyon station to use it. The two huts (Station Hut and Le Crens Hut) are both private and permission is required from Glen Lyon to use them.

At the confluence, cross the Hopkins River to reach Huxley Lodge at the 2WD roadend.

Both rivers are broad and shallow and easily crossed in normal flows, but can flood. It is possible to travel up to Red Hut on the true right of the Dobson / true left of the Hopkins if the rivers are up.

5-8hrs