Oteake Conservation Park
Tracks Overview
Beautiful NZ backcountry at St Bathans! With loads of trails suitable for horses, you can spend all week up here exploring the vast public landscapes.
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This is mountainous terrain and should be respected.
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Be prepared for all weather! I've seen snow in January!
Take EPERB, SAT phone, GPS or other means of emergency communication. Cell coverage is minimal.
Take NZTopo map so you don't get lost!
Check on local rainfall and/or snowmelt as this will affect the river conditions and fords.
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Fancy yourself an explorer? Checkout the boundaries of the conservation land in the brochure here. There are loads of unmarked tracks through the hills.
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Be wise and stay safe and please respect the conservation efforts of the park.
The Berwin track (pink) is access through private land to the Hawkdun Range Conservation area.
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The West (red) and East (yellow) Manuherikia Tracks follow the river and are easy going 4x4 tracks with river crossings.
The hill tracks (purple and blue) are steeper mountain passes rocky and narrow (not for vehicles)
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Part 1
Approximate distance for colours. Remember to add colours.
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Red West Manuherikia 18km
Blue Mutton Creek 6km
Purple Saddle Ridge 7km
Pink Berwin 4km
Yellow East Manuherikia 15km
Green Homestead 1.7km
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A great overnight ride would be green, red to Top hut for the night then purple, yellow green.
Day 1 20km Day 2 26km
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A great day ride would be red to blue to yellow, back to red. From start of red approx. 22km round trip.
Directions and Float Parking
Enter "Homestead Campsite St Bathans" into google Maps
This access to these trails is on Hawkdun Runs Road.
Access road is no the best may not be suitable for horse trucks. There are a few fords to cross.
Alternative access on Home Hills Run Road, which also has fords.
Another option for parking is to continue past Homestead Campsite and turning the next left to around around the beginning of the red line on map above, this will shave a few kms off your trip.
Accommodation
Homestead Campsite is a basic free campsite with a non flush toilet and shelter for cooking.
Located at the base of this section of the trails on Hawkdun Runs Road.
No bookings. You will need to take fencing for horses if you base here.
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Boundary Creek Hut is an 8 bunk bed hut with "decent" but small fenced yard area. $5 hut ticket required per adult click here
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Top Hut is an 8 bunk bed hut with no fencing but there is a large sheep yard close by. $5 hut ticket required per adult click here