Distance: 6.8 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 11m to 250m. Gain: 304m. Loss: 304m . Gradient: 5 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Beyond the Smoothwater River junction the track becomes a route. From this point backcountry experience and navigation skills are essential. Follow the Smoothwater River upstream for about 20 minutes, crossing as necessary until Kakapo Creek (the first major creek) flows in on the true left. Look for the large orange marker.

The marked track goes up Kakapo Creek. It crosses it several times and uses the creek bed as the route. After about an hour, the track veers away from the creek to the right and starts to climb to Stafford Saddle. From the saddle, the route sidles before dropping, steeply at times, to a creek. Follow the creek downstream; it may be easier to follow the true left bank in places due to windfall trees in the creek bed.

The ground levels out shortly before the creek meets the Stafford River. Follow the river downstream, crossing where necessary, until markers on the true left for the short track to Stafford Hut, which is located 200 m upstream of the beach.