Distance: 5.5 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 177m to 326m. Gain: 14m. Loss: 156m . 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

Heading down the Waikura is easy, but uninteresting. The riverbed is LINZ-owned, but there is no Queen’s chain so the banks are private. The river flats are broad, and the river is soon lost in their expanse. On the park boundary hillsides of native transition abruptly to pines – later, to brown-dry hill country dotted with dirty-grey sheep – finally, green paddocks and cattle as we near Pakira Stn. Going is easy, but rounded river stones are hard on the feet. The road is impossible to miss, crossing the riverbed on an embankment with a short 2-span bridge in its centre.

The river is low in normal flows - dry-feet crossings possible, but can get very big after heavy rain,.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description