What do you want from a hut or bivvy? Here, I rate crash pads on comfort, character, accessibility and situation. Each is given a score out of 5.
Although not a “hut bagger”, this frontcountry tramper is starting to have visited a number of huts and bivvies. So I thought I’d put together a list of those I’ve visited, to help you make decisions about which trips and digs might be the best for you.
I’ve scored each hut or bivouac on four criteria. Each criterion has a maximum of five points—so for each hut there are 20 points up for grabs in total.
- Comfort – gimme heating, mattresses, clean loos, porches for dirty gear or nice verandas.
- Character – I’m about history, cosiness, quirkiness, and charm.
- Accessibility – how easy is it to get there? Points for ease of access.
- Situation – extra kudos for sun, sweeping scenery or appealing swimming spots.
Te Ika-a-Māui | North Island
| Hut | Total | Comfort – includes heating, mattresses, clean loos, verandas… | Character – history, cosiness, quirkiness, charm… | Accessibility – how easy is it for the Frontcountry Tramper to get there? Points for access. | Situation – kudos for sun, sweeping scenery or appealing swimming spots. | Other comments |
| Ketetahi Hut | 0 | Destroyed in the Tongariro eruption (2012). | ||||
| Waihohonu Hut | 13 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | Modern, great views of the volcanoes. |
| Makahu Saddle Hut | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | Unloved and prone to vandalism. |
| Dominie Bivouac | 13 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | A cute bivvy with great views over the Hawkes Bay hinterland. |
| Top Gorge Hut | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | A cute four-bunker, but very dark and cold in winter—the open fireplace doesn’t help. |
| Iron Gates Hut | 16 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Warm and welcoming, and a good spot for spotting whio. |
| Toka Bivouac | 14 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | A classic “dog box” bivvy, this two-bunk beauty was recently spruced up by the Backcountry Trust but still retains a “thunderbox” (look it up!). |
| Burn Hut | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | One of my favourites, this six-bunker looks over the Manawatū and Horowhenua hinterland. |
| Waiopehu Hut | 17 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | A modern, larger hut with sweeping sunset views—good for people new to tramping. |
| Herepai Hut | 13 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Recently refurbished with skylights, Herepai is cute and cosy but lacks views. |
| Dundas Hut | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | This small hut (6 bunks) has incredible views… but is prone to Tararua clag! |
| Cattle Ridge Hut | 17 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | A very attractive hut, with a porch and convivial common area. Five bunks. |
| Roaring Stag Hut | 18 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | A family favourite for years, busy Roaring Stag is characterful and accessible. Great camping and chilly river swims adjacent. |
| Atiwhakatu Hut | 18 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | A beautiful hut, with a bunk dorm and smaller rooms for families and snorers. |
| Jumbo Hut | 11 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | With excellent sunrise views, Jumbo is let down by being a bit damp and grotty. |
| Powell Hut | 16 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Slick and modern, Powell is the largest hut in the Tararua Ranges. It’s perfect for first-time trampers, has gas rings and tremendous views, but perhaps lacks soul. |
| McGregor Bivouac | 14 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | A wonderful bivouac with wonderful views—if you’re happy to be somewhere remote. |
| Kapakapanui Hut | 14 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | A lovely hut on a lovely circuit, complete with a porch for removing wet gear. Six bunks. |
| Blue Range Hut | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | An absolute fave, tiny Blue Range Hut has a picnic table and is characterised by Masterton Hospital’s old signs and historic maps from the area. |
| Mitre Flats Hut | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | A somewhat nondescript hut, but one with lovely camping and swimming at the doorstep. A great summer option. |
| Totara Flats Hut | 18 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | An excellent hut for first- and second-timers, with superb camping nearby and a swing bridge for fun. |
| Cone Hut | 15 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | One of my faves. Constructed from tōtara slabs, quaint Cone is one of the oldest huts in the Tararua Ranges and all the more charming for it. |
| Tutuwai Hut | 15 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | A pleasant valley hut with a common area separating two dorms. |
| Turere Lodge | 15 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | A large lodge with four private rooms. Pots, pans, cutlery… everything under the sun. |
Te Waipounamu | South Island
| Hut | Total | Comfort – includes heating, mattresses, clean loos, verandas… | Character | Accessibility | Situation | Other comments |
| Awaroa Lodge (private) | 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | A full 20 points but you have to pay big bucks for it (what could be cruisier than jumping off a launch onto a sandy beach to hot water showers and a restaurant?) |
| Torrent Bay Lodge (private) | 19 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | Another beautiful lodge, with catering and beverages. Oh, and an amazing beach. |
| Lake Chalice Hut | 15 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | Pleasant, but with little outlook. Walk down a 4WD for an hour and you’re there. |
| Lakehead Hut | 18 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | Classic Nelson Lakes design, with great swimming in Lake Rotoiti. It’s a flat 3hr walk or a short water taxi. |
| John Tait Hut | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Also of the Nelson Lakes design, the swimming spots in front of this hut are extremely inviting on a warm day. |
| Upper Travers Hut | 14 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | It’s about two-days’ walk to Upper Travers, but its alpine setting is second to none. |
| Sabine Hut | 17 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | A beautiful hut at the head of Lake Rotoroa. Upper bunks are nice and airy too. |
| West Sabine Hut | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | A hot and busy hut with a cramped kitchen. The West Sabine in front is gorgeous. Classic Nelson Lakes design. |
| Blue Lake Hut | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | Remote Blue Lake Hut is hard to reach for frontcountry trampers but a lovely place for a night. |
| Pororari Hut | 17 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | A beautiful hut with spectacular views back to the Paparoa Range and gas rings to boot. |
| Moonlight Tops Hut | 16 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | The sunsets from here are to die for, and the view over the Paparoa Escarpment is superb. |
| Ces Clark Hut | 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | A very characterful hut—top marks. It’s just a little too close to the beginning/end of the Paparoa Track. |
| Goat Pass Hut | 14 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | A warm and inviting stopover with three-tier bunks, a dorm for the girls and a dorm for the boys and beautiful knotted wood… such is the way with Canterbury Tramping Club of yesteryear! |
| Mingha Bivouac | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | A gorgeous bivvy with camping outside and adjacent to the Mingha River. I’m sorry we didn’t overnight here. |
| Carrington Hut | 15 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Sunny and spacious, another CTC hut with two gendered wings, each with their common area and dorms. Nice deck, great views of Carrington Peak. |
| Anti Crow Hut | 14 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | Small and basic, but serviceable. |
| Lagoon Saddle A-frame Shelter | 13 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | A shelter, but comfy enough for a night. |
| Lagoon Saddle Hut | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | A basic two-bunk shed. |
| Cameron Hut | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | Amazing views in a great landscape, this climber’s hut is popular—bring a tent. |
| Caroline Hut (private) | 15 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | Most awesome views of Aoraki Caroline ice face and the Tasman Glacier peaks. Loos with views, too. |
| Rex Simpson Hut (private) | 17 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Cushy and well-equipped, with a warm, high country feel. |
| Young Hut | 16 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | Surrounded by ribbonwood, this modern hut has a nice feel and sits in an impressive canyon. |
| Siberia Hut | 15 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Pleasant but very busy. Excellent for viewing the night sky and fabulous swimming holes nearby. |
| Routeburn Falls Lodge (private) | 17 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | Pampered as private huts are, and overlooking Routeburn Flats. |
| Lake MacKenzie lodge (private) | 17 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Luxury beside an exquisite lake, sometimes visited by kea. |
| Lake Howden Hut | (17) | (4) | (3) | (5) | (5) | Destroyed by a mudslide in 2020. |
| McKellar Lodge (private) | 17 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Older-style lodge overlooking a good swimming hole. |
| Steele Creek Lodge (private) | 16 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | More on the rustic side but not uncomfortable. Bunkrooms and dorms, rather than private rooms with hot showers. |
| Quintin Lodge (private) | 16 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | A luxurious, sprawling lodge in the Upper Arthur. |
| Pompolona Lodge (private) | 17 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | The kea here are wonderful. My boots died on Mackinnon Pass and I donated them to the kea tree here at Pompolona. |
| Glade House (private) | 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Gateway to the Milford Track (via water taxi) on the banks of the exquisite Clinton River, this place oozes history and charm. |
| Luxmore Hut | 15 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Often cited as the finest hut on the Kepler due to its commanding views, this hut is undesirably large. |
| Iris Burn Hut | 16 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | Don’t forget to look for kiwi or for whio near Iris Burn Falls. |
| Moturau Hut | 18 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | My favourite Kepler Hut. Quaint, with an incredibly scenic beach. |
| Ōkākā Hut | 13 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | Large and lodge-like, Ōkākā has great views but some visitors get supplies helicoptered in. |
| Port Craig Hut | 15 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | Based around an old school house, this hut has history, character and wildlife. |
| Port William Hut | 17 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | Sited on a lawn in front of a stunning beach, this hut is a great introduction to Rakiura. |
| North Arm Hut | 14 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | A welcoming common space with generous dorms aft. |
| Mason Bay Hut | 12 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | Great for spotting kīwī, with nice bunk rooms. Accessible if flying in. |
| Coldwater Hut | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Basic, and rather dark and dingey. Accessible by water taxi. |