Wilderness vibe on Wellington’s doorstep
Nestled among the maze of mountain bike trails in the Akatarawa Forest, is the Whakatīkei River, a small but pretty run that probably deserves a little more attention. Once on the water, it has quite a wild and untouched feel.
Andrew Crane and friends went for an explore, and found some scenic floating in the upper reaches, plus a little bit of class III action in the lower gorge.
There are a few trip options – either a full day traverse from Paekakariki to Upper Hutt, (I/II/III) or a short lap of the lower gorge (III), that only needs a little walking.
This trip page is just a starter – to encourage others to check out this run and make suggestions for which access points make most sense, and what flows might work well.. Drop us a line to upgrade this page!
Thanks to Andrew Crane for the info and photos.
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Getting to the take out
Park at designated spots at the end of the cul-de-sac of Cory Jane Grove, River Stone Terraces. (Google Maps link)
Getting to the put in
Any of these approaches traverse a maze of walking tracks, 4WD routes and biking trails. We can’t stress enough that excellent navigation is required to pick the right ones to end up where you want to be! A bit of extra research and preparation will go a long way. We strongly recommend apps like TrailForks (Mountainbiking) and downloading the brochures for the Akararawa Forest Park, and Whareroa Farm before you head out.
For the through trip – from Whareroa Farm (near Paekakariki) – 8.8km | 2.5hrs
Check out the Whareroa Farm brochure to help you navigate your way from the carpark, via ‘Farm Race’, ‘Intake valley Track’ and ‘Catchment View Track’ up to Campbell’s Mill Rd. Remember, these are shared-use trails – watch out for bikers!
Next, watch out for 4WD vehicles, as you head head south. Continue, following signs for ‘Hydro Valley Rd’. You’ll cross the Whakatīkei River – but its probably too small to try putting on there. The road follows the river through to ‘Orange Hut’ (4WD accessible and apparently not so nice to spend the night in). From here, follow signs towards ‘Norms Crossing’, which is where the road meets the river, just downstream of the confluence of the Titi and Whakatīkei.
Hopefully there’s enough water to blow up near here – by now you’ll be looking forward to getting on the river, away from all the tracks and trails.
To the lower gorge put in via Bulls Run Rd
Follow Bulls Run Road past the Kapi Mana Motocross track to this intersection (pin on Google Maps). Take the left hand fork and drive for about 300m to cul-de-sac and park there by a locked gate. Armed with some satelite imagery, navigate a maze of 4WD tracks which zigzag over a small saddle and down to the river. (800m walking).
Another option would be to continue walking south on Bull’s Run Rd (aka ‘Rallywoods’ MTB track) to the bridge just above the Duckpond. But that’s more walking and less paddling.
On the river 17km | 5hrs @ 8 cumecs
Upper Gorge (I/II-) This beautiful river starts off quite gorgy. Being a narrow waterway, expect the occaisonal fallen tree or strainer. Mostly class I with some slightly bouncier II- rapids from time to time.
Keep an eye out for where the river drops suddenly over a 1.5m bedrock drop – portage easily on the right, or if you’ve got the water scout and send!
Middle section. (I/II-) More open but with similar bouncy class I and II- water. Overhanging trees remind you to keep your eyes peeled for strainers – be ready to portage when needed.
Lower gorge. (III) Below the Duckpond, the river starts to steepen and busy boulder garden rapids begin to appear. There’s a handful of longer/steeper rapids too.
This lower gorge is an unlikely technical creek run, with a real wilderness feel. All too soon, you round the bend and arrive at the takeout – a foot/cycle bridge and a track that leads west onto Corey Jane Grove (road).
Gauge & flows
The Whakatīkei River doesn’t have a publicly accessible gauge – the neighbouring Akatarawa River is the best approximation.
The images in this page were taken when the Akatarawa flowed at 8 cumecs.
A little more water would be ideal in the upper section – but be cautious – in a narrow river, a little extra water can make a big difference.
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