Distance: 6.4 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 14m to 332m. Gain: 223m. Loss: 387m . Gradient: 5 deg (Moderate)
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

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

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

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

The track to the roadend climbs behind Wharepapa hut, sidling the valleyside until it reaches the saddle. The descent is steep in places - one section with a rope provided to aid descent down a steep muddy chute.

Beyond the track follows the bed of a small stream for a while, before climbing & sidling the eastern face of the valley, then swinging east onto broad forested flats. Finally it descends to farmland and the Wairarapa valley floor. After a section on farm tracks you are diverted off onto a stop-bank for an uninteresting last kilometer, before swinging east to the road via a footbridge over the creek.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the carpark at the roadend the track crosses the creek on a bridge, then makes an uninteresting 2km beeline for the ranges beside a drainage ditch. Beyond that the walk is pleasant and varied. A couple of sections on small streambeds, and one steep section with rope just below the saddle. The leads directly to Wharepapa Hut.