Distance: 8.5 km (2.8 DOC hours) - Road - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 50m to 90m. Gain: 41m. Loss: 1m . Gradient: 0 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Road (1/9)
Formed road, 4WD track, 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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

Above the Makerikeri the 4WD tracks up the Ashley drop off the banks onto the riverbed, become faint & dispersed. Follow tracks upriver, sticking to the bed and avoiding cutting out on side-tracks which exit to farmland. Gravel is soft and so slow going. River levels were below my boot laces when I visited in February, and crossing channels was easy - but it should be possible to stick to the north bank if necessary when the river is up.

The Okuku is the 1st major confluence from the north and is obvious, with 4WD tracks leading up it.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Okuku, follow the broad Ashley riverbed downstream. 4WD tracks are dispersed across the bed and faint - so you're best picking your own way. Gravel is soft, so slow going. River levels were below my boot laces when I visited in February, and crossing channels was easy - but it should be possible to stick to the north bank if necessary when the river is up.

A good, well-used 4WD track heads up onto the north bank at the (dry) Makerikeri forks, 2km upstream of the Cross Road bridge. This 4WD track gives good access up the Makerikeri (to Rangiora Leigh campground) and down the north bank of the Ashley to the road bridge.