Discover Sunrise Track, one of Mid Eastern Ruahine Forest parks top destinations for tramping and hiking track adventures - Sunrise Hut ,Waipawa Forks Hut, Armstrong Saddle, On the Tops, Maropea Hut and Triplex Stream, Hawkes Bay New Zealand.
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| Facts |
| From |
North Block Road, inland from Wakarara Road |
| To |
Sunrise Hut , Armstrong Saddle , Maropea Hut |
| Time |
4 kms / day trip |
| Distance |
4 km Sunrise Hut |
| Grade |
easy |
| Highest Point |
1481m, Maropea Hut |
| Huts |
3 Huts, standard camping area around Hut |
| Maps |
Map Ruahine Forest Park Map |
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| Sunrise Hut Track Route Guide |
Sunrise Hut track is approximately 4 km long. Sunrise Hut Track begins at Triplex Carpark, Mid Eastern Ruahine Forest park.
| Location |
Times |
| Triplex Carpark to Triplex Hut |
10 mins |
| Swamp Track ( loop walk from Triplex Hut ) |
1 hour |
| North Block roadend to Triplex Hut (via Swamp Track) |
30 mins |
| Triplex Hut to Waipawa Forks Hut (via River) |
1 hour |
| Triplex Hut to Waipawa Forks Hut (via Track) |
1.5 hours |
| Triplex Hut to Sunrise Hut |
2 - 3 hours |
| Sunrise Hut to Armstrong Saddle |
30 mins |
| Sunrise Hut to Top Maropea Hut |
1.5 hours |
This route guide will describe the entire Sunrise Hut Track in the following five sections, beginning and ended at Triplex Carpark:
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| Triplex Carpark to Swamp Track |
| Approx. . Walking time: 10 mins |
There are two starting points to the tramping and hiking tracks from North Block Road Mid Eastern Ruahine Forest park. Partway along North Block Road is Triplex Carpark. Here, a stile and signpost mark a public access, through private land, that follows the forest edge for 10 minutes to Triplex hut (12 bunk).
From the end of North Block Road one can walk to Waipawa Forks Hut, via the river, or enter the forest and connect with the southern end of the Swamp Track.
From Triplex Hut a track meanders down for 200 metres to a little side creek, Just beyond the creek is the junction of three tracks: Swamp Track (sharp left), Sunrise Track to Sunrise Hut and Waipawa Fork Huts (left) and Staircase Track (right).
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Huts:Triplex Hut; 12 bunks, grassy surrounds good camping sites
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Triplex Bridge |
Triplex View |
Triplex Track |
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| Swamp Track to Sunrise Hut |
| Approx. Walking time: 1 hour |
Swamp Track is a low level track leads through alternating beech, rimu, kahikatea forest in a loop which takes an easy hour to complete. There are three access points to the Swamp track. First Swamp Track entrance leads into the bush about 100 metres towards North Block Road from Triplex Hut. Ssecond Swamp Track entrance is beside the creek 100 m below Triplex Hut. The third access links the end of North Block Road with the southern end of the Swamp Track. Here the start of the Swamp Track is marked by a stile, which climbs over the Ruahine Forest park boundary fence 100 metres uphill from the road end.
Huts:
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| Sunrise Hut Track |
| Approx. 4km. Walking time: 2 - 3 hours |
Signposted track starts by Triplex Carpark near the end of North Block Road. Cross the stile over the road from the carpark, and walk about 10 minutes up a farm track to Triplex Hut. From Triplex hut, Sunrise Track drops to a creekbed before beginning its benched steadily graded zig zag climb. Just past the creek Sunrise Track turns left and the aplty named Staircase Track, a slightly quicker and overgorwn but steeper option for the first part of the climb turns to the right. At this lower level rimu, kahikatea and red beech trees dominate the forest, while kamahi, hinau and miro trees are also found growing amongst understorey plants and ferns.
Follow the Sunrise Track to a small forested saddle another track branches off Sunrise Track and drops down to the left to the Waipawa River. Continue uphill on a good, benched track. Above this junction, now in forest of predominantly mountain beechg, the Staircase Track rejoins the main track. About an hour above the Staircase Track, the Sunrise Track emerges from stunted beech forest into the open and reaches Sunrise Hut, nestling in a tussock basin beside a small mountain tarn.
Sunrise Hut sits beside a small tarn, just above the bushline, in a sheltered basin known as Buttercup Hollow.
Hut: Sunrise Hut, 8 - 12 bunks
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| Waipawa Forks Hut |
| Approx. Walking time: |
There are two ways to Waipawa Forks Hut. From Triplex Hut the Sunrise Track, a gently graded, benched track zig zags to a saddle ( a rise of 230m), then descend to the Waipawa River. Waipawa Forks Hut is located 50 metres downstream from the Waipawa Track and about 50 metres above the riverbed on the true right.
Alternatively, Waipawa Forks Hut can be reached by following the river from the end of North Block Road. From the end of the road a farm track passes through a gate and descends to the river. Much of the river is wide, with huge shingle banks, however en route there is a gorge which may not be negotiable in web weather.
A round trip, incorporating the riverbed route and track over the saddle, provides a pleasant day's outing
Hut: Waipawa Forks ; 12 bunks
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| Armstrong Saddle |
| Approx. . Walking time: 30 mins |
Views and alpine tops reward a visitor to Armstrong Saddle, about 30 minutes walk along exposed, wind prone ridge from Sunrise Hut. If the weather is favourable it's an easy meander from Sunrise Hut to Armstrong Saddle. The track starts directly behind the hut, drops down through a few small beech trees, then turns right and follows an unmarked but well defined ridge to the saddle.
Visitors to Sunrise hut should also note that the prevailing nor'wester can be particularly bad here, especially on the ridge to Armstrong Saddle. If there is difficulty in standing because of the wind - this often happens - there is little point, and much danger , in walking along the saddle.
Huts: Sunrise; 12 bunks
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| On The Tops |
| Approx. Walking time: |
Here one might admire the view across the Ruahine ( all the way to Mt Ruapehu on a very clear day), roam the tussock tops , head north (20 minutes) to a high point for an even better view, or perhaps explore the track down to the 4 bunk Maropea Hut ( an hours walk from saddle) .
For experienced trampers and hikers there are a number of options on the tops of the Ruahine Ranges, beyond Sunrise Hut. Many parties continue over to Top Maropea Hut (4 bunk), on the Western side of the Armstrong Saddle. Te Atuaoparapara Peak (1687m) is within striking distance.
To the north there are a number of 2 -3 day round trip possibilibities to the Makaroro River, via Sparrowhawk Spur, Colenso Spur or Totara Spur and Parks Peak Ridge. To the South, Waipawa Saddle links with Waipawa River. There are routes to the western Ruahine Range, to Waikamaka, or to Maropea River.
Huts: Top Maropea; 4 bunks;
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| TRIPLEX STREAM |
| Approx. Walking time: |
About 300 metres from Triplex hut, on the Staircase Track, two roughly defined tracks on the right descent sharply to Triplex Creek, to some small grassy terraces with excellent camping potential.
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| Related |
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| Further Information |
| Department of Conservation |
| Napier Field Centre |
| Phone: (06) 8350415 |
| Email: napier-ao@doc.govt.nz |
| Web: www.doc.govt.nz |
