Top Toaroha Hut
Standard hutKokatahi River - Whitcombe River area, West CoastOpen
- Sleeps
- 6 bunks
- Booking
- Not bookable
- Cost
- from $15
- Heating
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Not drinkable
- Toilet
- Non-flush
Getting there
We have not checked a road end or car park for this place yet, so we do not give driving directions to it. Check how to get there before you go. Some routes cross private land and need the landowner's permission.
How to get there, on doc.govt.nz- Topo map
- Topo50 sheet BV19
- Grid reference
- E1449561, N5236043
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Map and tracks
Track lines: DOC Te Papa Atawhai. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Topo map: LINZ, CC BY 4.0. 43.01339° S, 171.15391° E
About this place
This is a standard six-bunk hut in the Hokitika area.
On the way here
Toaroha, Hokitika, Lower Whitcombe Track · 4 - 5 days
Cedar Flat to Top Toaroha Hut
Time: 5 - 6 hr
From Cedar Flat Hut follow the short section of track to the upstream swing bridge and cross to the true right. The track continues on the true right bank crossing several large side creeks. Be wary of these after rain, Median and Esma Creeks in particular can quickly become uncrossable. From opposite Mullins Creek the track becomes steeper and alternates between climbing and dropping back into side creeks. The route finally descends to the Toaroha riverbed and crosses to the true left. Be careful; during rain this river crossing can quickly become impassable. After boulder-hopping alongside the river for a few hundred metres the track moves away from the river and on to a scrubby/tussock terrace. Follow cairns, poles and short sections of track to Top Toaroha Hut which is on a tussock flat above a small lake. Top Toaroha Hut contains 6 bunks and is heated by a woodstove.
Top Toaroha Hut to Toaroha Saddle Bivouac
Time: 2 - 3 hr
From the hut, poles mark the route across the boggy flats to Bannatyne Creek. Follow the track on the true left of this creek. Cross Bannatyne Creek to a major side creek coming in from the true right and travel up this creek to a tussock face. Take care - the side creek is steep in places. Follow the poles across the tussock face before dropping again into Bannatyne Creek. Continue up this creek until you reach cairns/poles at the bottom of a steep tussock/scrub gut on the true left. Climb this gut and follow the poles to the Toaroha Saddle Bivouac which serves as a shelter but can also sleep 2 people.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Trip options
Walking times come from DOC track descriptions, added up leg by leg from car-accessible trailheads. Nights and return times are ParkUp estimates, allowing about 8 hours of walking a day.
2 options · 2 to 4 nights
Roadend
Walking in
11 hr (via Cedar Flat Hut)
Walking out
11 hr to Roadend (via Cedar Flat Hut)
Walking in
11 hr (via Cedar Flat Hut)
Walking out
24 hr to Road End (via Poet Hut, Bluff Hut, Frew Hut, Rapid Creek Hut)
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai track descriptions.
Fees and bookings
Before you go, buy Hut Tickets for each night's stay. Put these in the honesty box at the hut. Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass that gives unlimited use at most Standard and Serviced huts for a 12 month period. Retailers that sell hut tickets and passes
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
On these tracks
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Nearby stops
Toaroha Saddle Bivvy
Basic/bivvies • 2 bunks • West Coast • 1.6 km
Toaroha Saddle Bivvy is a basic two-bunk hut located in the Hokitika area of the West Coast.
Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush • Water from stream
Poet Hut
Standard • 4 bunks • West Coast • 2.5 km
Poet Hut is a standard four-bunk hut located in the Hokitika area on the West Coast.
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Bluff Hut
Standard • 6 bunks • West Coast • 4.3 km
Bluff Hut is a basic six-bunk hut located in the Hokitika area of the West Coast.
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Cedar Flat Hut
Basic/bivvies • 2 bunks • West Coast • 5.7 km
Cedar Flat Hut is a standard twelve bunk hut located in the Hokitika area of the West Coast. It is situated near the Historic Cedar Flat Hut, a basic two bunk…
Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
Frew Saddle Bivvy
Basic/bivvies • 2 bunks • West Coast • 8.8 km
Frew Saddle Bivvy is a basic two-bunk hut located in the Hokitika area of the West Coast.
Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush • Water from stream
Walks nearby
Contact
Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre
4294 Coast Road, Punakaiki, RD 1 Runanga 7873
Regional DOC service centre.
Notes from people who have been
No notes yet. If you have been, say what you found.
Something missing or out of date?
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Sources
- DOC Huts · CC BY 4.0Data sourced from the Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand.
- DOC Huts (API) · CC BY 4.0Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. Data sourced from the DOC Developer Portal (api.doc.govt.nz).
- OpenStreetMap Huts · ODbL (Open Database License)Contains information from OpenStreetMap, made available under the ODbL.