Distance: 6.1 km (6.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 525m to 1267m. Gain: 879m. Loss: 196m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

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

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

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

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

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

Those with a 4WD vehicle can save two hours walking up Jackson Creek Road by fording Top Valley Stream & driving up Jackson Creek Road to the car park. From the car park a marked route climbs up the main ridge, over pt. 715, before climbing more steeply to pt. 1088. Beyond this, the gradient eases & 120m below pt. 1416, the track sidles north across the eastern faces of the ridge to Richmond Saddle & the 8-bunk hut, one hour below the summit of Mt Richmond.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Richmond Saddle sidle south across the eastern faces of the ridge, which it joins at the 1280m contour. The track then descends along the ridge, over pts 1088 & 715, before reaching the car park. Those with a 4WD vehicle can save two hours walk down Jackson Creek Road to the lower car park at the Top Valley Stream ford.