We started hiking the Moerangi Track at Okahu Road end
Hiking the Moerangi Track in Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park
As Chris Shorrock explains, hiking the Moerangi Track is a perfect introduction to what the Whirinaki forest has to offer. Three relatively easy days hiking through lush native forest, spectacular views from Moerangi Saddle (if the weather is on your side), and some cosy huts en route, including the historic Rogers Hut.
This is a shared-use track, meaning it can be completed on foot or mountain bike.
Getting to the Moerangi Track
Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park is 90 km southeast of Rotorua. The Moerangi Track starts at Okahu Road end and finishes at the River Road car park. We parked at River Road car park and got a shuttle to the end of Okahu Road with Whirinaki Adventures, which cost us $210 and took about 45 minutes.
Tip: When we travelled, the Okahu Road was much rougher than River Road (both are unpaved), so we would recommend parking at the River Road car park and getting the shuttle to Okahu Road to start the hike.
We passed this waterfall just before Skips Hut, while hiking the Moerangi Track
The forest views from Rogers Hut, on the Moerangi Track, were sublime
Hiking the Moerangi Track Day One: Okahu Road end to Rogers Hut
It’s an easy walk along the Whangatawhia Stream, with multiple bridged river crossings, to reach Skips Hut. Once at Skips Hut , you’re over halfway through the day’s hike, making it the perfect spot for a rest. We sat on the verandah overlooking the stream and the forest-cloaked hills and soaked it all in.
The Moerangi Track is also popular with hunters, and Skips Hut had a deer carcass hanging on the verandah when we visited
From Skips, the trail continues downstream before crossing a low forested saddle and descending to the Moerangi Stream. It’s only a couple of minutes from the bridge over the Moerangi to Rogers Hut.
It took us about 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach Rogers Hut from the road end.
A stay at Rogers Hut is a highlight of the Moerangi Track
Built from slab beech wood in 1952, Rogers Hut is full of historic charm. It’s set in a clearing just above the river, and the two-sided verandah has expansive forest views. An unusual stained-glass window above the three-tier bunks gives the hut a distinct character.
There’s a wood burner to keep you warm on chilly nights, an outdoor sink and a long-drop toilet. The inside has been decorated over the years with engraved tin lids, which adds to the historic feel.
Historic Rogers Hut sits in a grassy clearing above the river
Hiking the Moerangi Track Day Two: Rogers Hut to Moerangi Hut
Day two is another easy day. The track traverses high above the Moerangi Stream and heads upstream to reach Moerangi Hut, which is five minutes up a side track from the main trail. There are glimpses out across the valley and down to the stream, but mostly, the hike is through lush native forest.
On day two hiking the Moerangi Track, the trail traverses high above the Moerangi Stream
The Moerangi Hut is a peaceful spot with forest views
Moerangi Hut sits in a clearing above a tributary of the Moerangi Stream. The verandah looks out across the valley and, according to the many entries in the hut book, is a great place to spot native bird life, including kaka, the forest parrot.
The hut has nine bunks in three tiers, a wood burner, an outdoor sink and a long-drop toilet. It’s a peaceful place to spend the night, surrounded by the sounds of the forest and an epic night sky.
The verandah at Moerangi Hut is a great place from which to spot native wildlife
The Moerangi Track Day Three: Moerangi Hut to River Road car park
This is the day with the views, as the track follows a shallow gradient up to the 955-metre-high Moerangi Saddle. Sadly, we were hiking in the mist. Still, on our ascent and descent, the wispy clouds curling through the treetops of this ancient and gnarled forest gave the scene a magical quality, and we weren’t too concerned that the saddle was shrouded in clouds.
The misty hills of Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park
On a clear night, Moerangi Hut is a great place for stargazing
It took roughly one hour to reach the saddle and another two hours to get to the River Road car park. Towards the end of the hike, there are a few junctions where you could take a wrong turn; following the MTB trail signs should see you right.
Shortly before reaching the car park, the trail runs alongside, and then over, the Te Whaiti Nui A Toi Canyon, a narrow slot of moss-leaden columnar rock walls towering over a gushing forest stream.
Practicalities of Hiking the Moerangi Track
The Moerangi Track starts and ends in different locations, so you’ll need some form of transport to return to your car. Parking is free.
Neither hut is bookable, they’re first come, first served. Purchase the relevant hut tickets before you go:
Getting away from the Moerangi Track
If you do it like we did and shuttle from River Road to the start point, your car will be waiting, and you can simply drive away.
Maps
We’d recommend downloading the NZ Topo50 app on your smartphone and using this for navigation. Otherwise, print one from topomap.co.nz.
Visited: July 2023