Distance: 0.7 km (0.3 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 943m to 980m. Gain: 42m. Loss: 5m . Gradient: 4 deg (Gentle)
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

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

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

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

The track junction for the turnoff to Harkness Hut is signposted up the NE fork, and another broad Kaweka track heads up the north-east fork towards the hut, crossing the creek another 4 times. You can see the hut clearing on the northern slopes ahead, where tussock valley transitions back to beech. It’s a brief rocky scramble up the track to the hut, some 40m out of the valleyfloor.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Harkness Hut, a marked track drops to the creek. A poled route then follows the vallyfloor 800m downriver to the forks, crossing the creek 4 times. A signpost at the forks marks the track junction.