Child friendly rating: 5 stars

Distance: 300 metres

Signposted time: 5 minutes

Bookings Required? No

Suitable in Winter? Yes

Camping Available? Plenty

4wd required? No

Parking:

Take Mangahao Road past the Mangahao Power Station inland from Shannon. Then take the left turn onto Tokomaru Road - it's not signposted so you might need a GPS.

Drive as far along this road as possible where there is a large parking area - you end up parking around 300m short of the hut.

I wouldn't drive this in a 2WD after heavy rain, as the road can get a bit muddy - leave it for dry weather if you don't have a 4WD.

The Track:

The road continues past the locked gate, so you walk along a road all the way to the hut. It is pram accessible, but depending on the width of the pram, you may need to lift it over the locked gate.

Almost any age walking child can walk here. It's a super easy wide very flat 4WD track.

Hut:

 The hut doesn't have any mattresses, but it does have a sleeping platform. The platform can sleep about 6. BYO camping mattresses.

It is a hut for Te Araroa walkers, so can be busy in season, though many will choose to sleep in their tent instead. The tent area is massive, and there is an outdoor but undercover cooking area. Feel free to BYO tent instead.

The hut is a converted pole shed, so uninsulated, with no fire, and can get cold in wintertime. Luckily the car isn't too far away for carrying extra bedding.

The nearby clearing is great for playing in, but the rest of the forest and bush around is private property, so not too much exploring to be had.

Recommendations:

 Great as a first hike! - Come when the weather is warmer, but come early if you want to get beds as it'll be busy in-season with TA walkers.

Kids of all ages will be able to get here as no technical walking involved.