Distance: 5.1 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 481m to 965m. Gain: 484m. Loss: 258m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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 (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Cross the Makaroro to the southern bank. The river is knee to thigh deep in normal flows, an easy crossing but one that can easily flood.

A triangle at the base of the spur east of Gold Creek marks the start of the track to the hut. A cut, marked track climbs the spur for 20m to a signpost stating 'track follows fenceline for 1km', and ends. Most people seem to tray and push up the DOC side of the fence for 20m-or-so before giving up in thick scrub and climbing over into the paddock. A good, well used trail climbs steeply up the opposite side of the fence for 500m or so to a gate where a sign welcomes you back into the DOC estate. Looking at the maps on WAMS it matters little as the actual property boundary is 50-100m further west, and so both routes are on private land.

From the DOC gate, a well marked, cut track runs up the now-gently climbing ridge through mainly beech forest for 4km Just as the beech is becoming scrubby, a large cairn is reached and the track hangs a sharp right, dropping west off the ridge. A short 250m descent takes you to the river. Gold Creek Hut is 50m downstream on the opposite bank. The creek is ankle-deep in normal flows, but the hut book reports it becoming impassable on occasions.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

The track starts 50m upstream of Gold CReek Hut, on the opposite bank. Well marked and cut, the track climbs steeply east to the ridgeline, and then drops gently NE towards the Gold Creek / Makaroro Confluence. 500m before reaching the confluence the track emerges onto paddocks and you follow the fenceline steeply down to the river forks.

The river must be crossed if you're heading out to the road. It is knee to thigh deep in normal flows, an easy crossing but one that can easily flood.