Heaphy Track

The Heaphy Track is the longest of New Zealand's Great Walks, and it provides a taste of everything from lush forests to dry tussocks to coastal hiking along the Tasman Sea.  Kahurangi National Park is on the northwest corner of New Zealand's South Island, and the Heaphy Track goes from one end of the park to the other for 80 km (50 miles).  We completed the hike in four days, from February 14 through February 17, and we hiked the track from north to south, which was the more popular direction.

The day before we started the Heaphy, we stayed at Somerset House, a lovely backpackers hostel in nearby Collingwood.  There was only one small convenience store in Collingwood, but it was good enough to supply for the hike.  To get from Collingwood to the north end of the Heaphy Track, we arranged a shuttle through Trek Express, but there was also a Golden Bay Coachlines bus available.

Day 1 - Brown Hut to Perry Saddle Hut - 17.5 km (10.9 miles)

We left our hostel at 6:15 AM, and we arrived to the start of the track, Brown Hut, around 7:00 AM.  This gave us a few extra hours before the bus would have dropped us off (around 10:00 AM).

The first day was all uphill, but it was a gradual climb from 100 feet to 1000 feet.

 
The track was well-defined and well-maintained.  It was originally planned for a road, so there was plenty of walking space.

The track was very green, with lots of beeches, some palms, and lots of ferns and moss.

 The trees provided plenty of shade, but open views were few and far in between.

Occasional openings provided views of the Tasman mountains.
 
The campsite at Perry Saddle had a shelter for cooking and eating.  There were also signs for a nearby mountain "pool," but the water was too cold for swimming.  The trail to the pool was also very rugged, muddy, and slippery, and I did not think it was worth it.

Day 2 - Perry Saddle Hut to James Mackay Hut - 24.2 km (15.0 miles)

Around this time of year, the sun was rising around 7:00 AM and setting around 9:00 PM.  We liked hiking in the mornings, so we set off right around 7:00 AM.

From Perry Saddle Hut, the track descended about 500 feet into and through a large area of tussocks.  There was little shade on this part of the track.

This swing bridge got my heart pounding.  It was the shakiest bridge on the track by far.

Parts of the track had these wooden platforms, in case of flooding.

These snail signs were 1 km markers.  There were only markers 1 km to and from huts.  I never figured out the significance of the snails.  The other Great Walks did not have these markers.

The campsite at James Mackay had wooden platforms, and the provided ropes were a bit confusing to use. We secured our tent with a combination of the ropes, carabiners, and zip-ties.

Day 3 - James Mackay Hut - Heaphy Hut - 20.5 km (12.7 miles)

The third day was very similar to the first day, except in reverse.  It was mostly covered and very shady.

From James Mackay Hut, the track gradually descended from 700 feet to sea level.

The Heaphy Hut and campsite were located by the mouth of the Heaphy River.  Here, I casually left a bag containing multivitamins lying around, and a weka, a flightless bird, dragged it away.  My partner found our bag in some nearby bushes.  We were also told that there had been some rat problems, so we stored our food in the hut overnight.

Clear water, white sand, smooth rocks, and nikau palms, which only grow in New Zealand.

The water was pretty cold, but it felt good on my swollen feet.

Day 4 - Heaphy Hut to Kohaihai - 16.2 km (10.1 miles)

The last day was not that short, but we still needed to get to the end in time to catch our shuttle.

From Heaphy Hut, the track followed the coastline of the Tasman Sea, and the views were amazing.

The track was on the beach for some parts and through palm forests for other parts.

The Heaphy Track ended at the Kohaihai carpark, where most people waited for rides from Trek Express or Karamea Express around 1:30 PM.  We took the Trek Express bus to Westport, but most people were taking it all the way back to Nelson.

Out of all the Great Walks on the South Island, I was looking forward to this one the least, but it proved to be the most diverse and most easy going.  I found the beach part of the track the most enjoyable, so if I were to visit it again, or just get a taste, I might go to the south end of the track, hike to the Heaphy Hut, spend the night, then hike back.  But I did not get a chance to hike the Abel Tasman Coast Track, which is nearly all coastline, so this might be a good substitute all-together.