Distance: 10.7 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 584m to 953m. Gain: 359m. Loss: 654m . Gradient: 5 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

A cut/marked track sidles thew south-eastern valleyside of Timaru Creek.

From Top Timaru Hut, follow the 4wd track south for about 1km, climbing onto a spur before turning off it down the marked tramping track which heads down valley from the crest of the low spur.. The track is poled to the bushedge, 500m beyond, and then cut and marked.

The track sidles through beech forest, generally sticking low near the creek but making the usual climbs and descents round obstacles including one climb of 1-200m.

The junction of Te Araroa (to Stodys & Pakatui Huts) and Timaru River Track (to Junction Hut) is reached after about 10km. The junction is now obvious and signposted.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Te Araroa / Timaru River Track junction, a sidle track heads upriver through beech forest on the southern bank of Timaru Creek to Top Timaru Hut. The tarck generally sidles low near the river with one climb of 200m and many other small ups/downs around obstacles. It's generally a good sidle track. You reach the bushedge 1.5km before the hut, climb following a poled route up a low spur to intersect the 4WD track to Top Timaru Hut.

2-3hrs