Distance: 5.6 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 139m to 723m. Gain: 1006m. Loss: 422m . Gradient: 15 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is 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 carpark at Mangone South roadend, cross the swingbridge and follow the gravel road 100m to where a signpost points right through a metal gate to Pukeatua Track / Otaki Forks. Teh track starts as an old logging road, and sidles the villeyside upriver for a kilometer before dropping ot he creek. Cutting sharply back on itself. Cross the creek - which can flood and become impassable after heavy rain.

On the opposite side the track zigzags up the spur through pines before finally ending at the boundary with native bush. A good marked, cut tramping track starts here and follows the ridgeline, climbing in a series of steps towards Pukeatua highpoint to the SE.

Shortly before pt 762 is a sharp eastern turn in the track A large DOC triangle here marks the starts of a route south to Kapakapanui Hut, crossing private land.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the junction with the Kapakapanui route, the Pukeatua track swings north and descends in a series of steps to the Waikenae River. You are in mature bush for the first section, later regenerating bush and finally pines. Shortly after pt422 the tramping track hits the end of an old logging track which it follows down to the river. The river must be forded and becomes impassable after heavy rain. in case of floods, the only routes out are back to Otaki Forks or via Kapakapanui Hut and the private track north from there to Mangone.

Once over the river, a good old logging track sidles the north valleyside a further kilometer downriver until it reaches houses and a gravel road. Turning left takes you to a swingbridge back over the Waikenae River, with the Mangone South carpark on the other side.