Heaphy East to West

Great variety makes things interesting: beech forest, tussock downs, temperate rainforest with nikau etc, wild West Coast beaches. Good chance of seeing takahe. Kiwi to hear and, if lucky, see at night,

Plenty of car parking at each end, which are 450km apart! Arranging a car swap or one of several car relocation services are options. Is a bus from Takaka to start of track and also options to fly back to the start.

37 km

34 minutes

Unknown

No

Easy.

Well signposted along the entire length.

Non-existent.

Waterproof leggings, Thermal leggings, Lightweight fleece top, Short-sleeved thermal top, Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Survival blanket, Cellphone, Map, Headtorch and spare batteries

Plenty of water - huts / shelters approx 7 - 14 km apart. Plus plenty of streams.

It is the West Coast, so can get very wet at any time of the year. Can snow in winter.

DOC advise that sections Saxon Hut to James Mackay Hut can be affected by heavy rain, a section from Lewis Hut to Heaphy Hut (following the Heaphy River) can flood during heavy rain and big tides, and that sections from Heaphy Hut to Kohaihai road end can be affected by high tides.

Vinnie's Cafe
Karamea
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Caterer/Vinnies-cafe-1311568395570289/
Laid back friendly place for a coffee and cooked breakfast while talking about the previous day's adventures on the Heaphy. Is a bit hard to spot, but located next to the Four Square .

Riverstone Motels
Karamea - just across the bridge out of town to the south.
https://riverstonekaramea.co.nz/
Open air spa pool to soak in after the big day on the track. Modern accommodation and great hosts.