Distance: 6.7 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy terrain
Altitude: 123m to 262m. Gain: 255m. Loss: 272m . Gradient: 5 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

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

From the carpark at the end of Mangone South road, follow the walking track across the swingbridge and follow the gravel track on the opposite side for 50m where a signpost marks the start of the track. The tramping track drops west off the road and joins an old logging tramway which it follows downriver. After 100m or so the track crosses the Mangone stream on an impressive bridge, then sidles the northern bank upriver. A few minor streams are crossed - all of which you can step across. One short slipped section of tramway necessitates a brief climb to a spur and back - all cut and marked. The tramway ends at a gate with a large grassy clearing beyond. A prepared walkway continues across the clearing and joins forestry tracks through pines beyond.

Following the mud/gravel 4WD track NE up the valley, you pass a few baches before making a gentle sidling climb up the valleyside to a low saddle. The track then sidles down through a face of scrub and pines to reach a locked gate at the end of Mangone North road.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Mangone north roadend, follow the signposted track through the gate and up a gravel 4WD track. The track sidles through scrub and pine forest, climbing to meet the ridgeline at a saddle before dropping into the Mangone. Once in the valley, a series of shacks and baches are passed in the pines before the markers point you off the 4WD track and down a cut, marked walking track. Crossing a large clearing, this reaches the native bushedge at another gate.

Once in the bush, a benched walking track follows an old logging tramway sidling the northern valleyside. A few minor streams are crossed - all of which you can step across. One short slipped section of tramway necessitates a brief climb to a spur and back - all cut and marked. Finally the track drops to the stream, which it crosses on an impressive bridge, and then sidles the southern valleyside for another hundred meters or so before emerging onto a gravel driveway. A signpost here marks the start of a rougher tramping track over to Otaki Forks. 100m beyond, crossing the swingbridge, you emerge at the carpark at the end of Mangone Road south.