Distance: 6.2 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Road - Easy terrain
Altitude: 437m to 615m. Gain: 276m. Loss: 99m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Road (1/9)
Formed road, 4WD track, etc

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

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

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

According to DOCs website free access to Poutaki Hut is allowed from the old Mill Site at the Wakarara roadend via Wakarara Rd and Leatherwood Road. This section follows private forest tracks and though permits are (apparently) not required it would be worth checking with DOC that a) this hasn't changed and b) no logging operations currently prevent access.

Cross the Makaroro at the roadend - knee-to thigh deep in normal flows - can easily flood - and pick up the road on the opposite bank. This rough dirt road climbs NW onto the plateau, and meets metaled forestry tracks at a signposted junction. Follow Wakarara Rd east then north-east for 4km to the junction with Leatherwood Rd. Note that several other forest roads branch south off this section of road and are not shown on maps.

Follow Leatherwood Road 1km east, climbing to where it ends at a carpark.

Many visitors use mountainbikes to avoid this long walk on forestry roads.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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