Paparoa Track

Time: 3 days walking, 2 days mountain biking (no e-bikes)

km walking, 56. 2 km mountain biking (no-e-bikes)

Highlights

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Places to stay

There are three Great Walk huts on the Paparoa Track: Ces Clark Hut, Moonlight Tops Hut and Pororari Hut. Huts have bunks, mattresses, heating, gas cooktops, toilets, and a water supply. A DOC ranger may be present. The huts do not provide food, cooking utensils or showers. Backcountry Hut Passes can be used at Ces Clark Hut but not at Moonlight Tops or Pororari Huts. There are no campsites on the track. You'll need accommodation the night before your walk - camping at Smoke-ho car park is not permitted. Fees are charged per person, per night to stay in huts on the Paparoa Track. There are no fees to complete a day walk/ride on the track or for entry into Paparoa National Park. Book Paparoa Track online . All three huts must be booked in advance. If you don’t have a valid booking for your stay, you may be charged a penalty, or turned away if the hut is full.

Smoke-ho car park to Ces Clark Hut

Time: 4–5 hr

10.3 km This part of the track is much rougher than the rest of the Paparoa Track because of its historic nature. For the first hour of the track, you’ll pass through mixed podocarp and beech forest and cross a wire suspension bridge over the Smoke-ho Creek. The track then zig-zags up the dividing ridge between Blackball Creek and Roaring Meg catchments for the next hour until you reach the turn-off to the Battery Track. The track then climbs more steeply into subalpine forest leading towards Ces Clark Hut. You’ll pass the historic Croesus Top Hut just before reaching Ces Clark Hut. Croesus Top Hut is kept for historic purposes – you cannot stay at Croesus Top Hut. However, in an emergency, you can use it for shelter. Ces Clark Hut is on the edge of the bushline, set among low alpine scrub and with spectacular views. On a fine day you will be rewarded with views of Lake Brunner, the main divide, and down to Aoraki Mount Cook. A night at Ces Clark Hut is a great option for those wanting a couple of shorter days or those looking for an easier 4 day hike.

Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Tops Hut

Time: 3 hr

9.7 km Beyond Ces Clark Hut you pass through alpine scrub and tussock with expansive views of Grey River/Māwheranui and Tasman Sea. The track follows the ridge of the main Paparoa Range through open alpine vegetation above the Roaring Meg and Moonlight Creek catchments, with views of Aoraki/Mt Cook on a clear day. Moonlight Tops Hut has panoramic views across the Punakaiki River headwaters around to the escarpment, Pike Stream and Paparoa National Park.

Side trip: Croesus Knob

Time: 1 hr 10 min return

The turn-off to Croesus Knob is a 30-minute walk beyond Ces Clark Hut. From the main Paparoa Track, a rough route climbs to the top of Croesus Knob (1204 m), where there are spectacular views down to Aoraki Mount Cook and out to Tasman Sea. This route is not suitable for mountain bikes and is not maintained to the same standard as the main Paparoa Track.

Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororari Hut

Time: 5–7 hr

19.1 km Along this section of track you will meet the junction of the Pike ridge with the main Paparoa Range, where the Pike29 Memorial Track and the Pike River Mine site begins. Beyond the junction, the Paparoa Track winds along the top of the escarpment, with steep cliffs and stunning views down to the Pike Stream and out towards the coast. There is an emergency shelter on the northern end of the escarpment. About half-way to Pororari Hut, you descend from the escarpment through ancient podocarp forest. The track then follows the ridge above Tindale Creek to Pororari Hut. Keep an eye out for the Lone Hand, a gnarled outcrop of bedrock on the north side of the Pororari River.

Pororari Hut to Pororari River car park or Waikori Road car park

Time: 4–5 hr

km to Pororari River car park, 17.1 km to Waikori Road carpark The track descends into the upper Pororari River valley and follows the river. In some places it follows an old track which was built c1912–1914 to establish a settlement in the valley. The track sidles along a spectacular gorge and descends through beech forest interspersed with northern rātā. The Paparoa Track then passes the junction to the Cave Creek Memorial/Inland Pack Track. This track is dedicated to the memory of 13 students and a DOC officer. Their lives where lost when a viewing platform at Cave Creek collapsed on 28 April 1995. In another 300 m the Paparoa Track diverges at a junction. Walkers can exit out to the Pororari River car park. Mountain bikers must exit out the Punakaiki River Valley to Waikori Road car park.

Understand if you are ready for the Paparoa Track

Watch the NZ Mountain Safety Council’s walk-through video which takes you through how to prepare for this track. Including facilities, key decision points, hazards and typical conditions for the area.