Distance: 8.1 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 329m to 497m. Gain: 212m. Loss: 44m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, 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

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

The Mangatutara is reasonable going as far as the hut site. Broad, gravel flats, some grassy. Occasional gorges, but nothing tricky – just wading & wet feet. The shingle flats are generally much wider than shown on the maps, and by the time you reach the Mangatutara Hut, they cover the entire valley floor. The hut is tucked away on a terrace above it somewhere - I never found it but you can see it on sat photos Camping was available further upriver.

There’s a final 2km of good going down the Mangatutara from the hut site before you turn up the side creek downstream of pt 422 to start the crossing to the Waihunga. The creek is easily identifiable by the sharp dogs-leg at it’s mouth, and is the 1st after the flats end.