Distance: 7.3 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 193m to 296m. Gain: 263m. Loss: 363m . Gradient: 5 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

South from Tutuwai Hut the rack starts good down the valley flats, but further down the old pack-track has slipped into the river and rougher tramping tracks scramble some 30m up the face to circumnavigate the lost sections (a rope has been installed to help climb the worst section). Mind the patches of substantial ongaonga growing in this section.

The swingbridge is currently located 1.5km upriver of Smith Creek Shelter (it's 3rd location in a decade), and crosses the river to the western bank. From here a good benched pack track resumes and takes you easily down good wooded flats to Smith Creek Shelter. The hut is located 20m off the track away from the river and may be signposted, depending on the will/boredom level of the local vandals.

Marchant Stream, south of the swingbridge, can flood after rain and traps parties regularly. A rope has been strung across here to aid with crossing, but the easiest crossing in low flows is slightly downstream and then a worn route leads back to the main track hard against the southern bank.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Smith Creek Shelter, head 1.5km upriver on a good pack track on the western bank before crossing the new swingbridge to the east side of the river. From here the track is a rougher tramping track: the old pack-track has slipped into the river and rougher tracks scramble some 30m up the face to circumnavigate the lost sections. Things improve again as you reach flats below Tutuwai Hut. The turnoff to Tutuwai is near the north end of a long grassy (untracked) flat and is marked with a signpost ('Hut'). The hut is 30m away up the face on a terrace. Mind the patches of substantial ongaonga growing in this section.

Marchant Stream, south of the swingbridge, can flood after rain and traps parties regularly. A rope has been strung across here to aid with crossing, but the easiest crossing in low flows is slightly downstream, accessed by a worn route through the scrub on the true right.