Distance: 5.1 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 498m to 958m. Gain: 61m. Loss: 506m . Gradient: 6 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

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

From the front of the hut head slightly downhill to the junction with the track to Makino Hut. At the junction turn right & head NE down through open clay-pans & along an expansive flat area, before dropping 200m down the ridge, another flat area & further descending to pt. 766. The track then descends to a fence line & crosses a bridge across the Mangatutunui Stream to the true left bank, which it follows down to the car park area.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the rear of the car park area the initial grassy track heads up the true left side of Mangatutunui Stream through low scrub to a bridge which crosses the water body & joins the track near a fence line. The track then climbs up to pt. 766 & then follows along a flat ridge before it climbs 200m to an expansive high flat area where the track passes through sections of open clay-pans with great views of the Kaweka Range ahead. At a T-junction the track up from Makino Hut comes in on your right, where there is a sign indicating Middle Hill Hut is only 5 minutes away. Turning left at the junction, 150m further down the track sees you at the door of Middle Hill Hut.