Time: 3 days walking, 2 days mountain biking (no e-bikes)

Distance: 55 km walking, 56. 2 km mountain biking (no-e-bikes) On this page: Highlights





Places to stay





Fees and bookings





Walking options





Track description





Mountain biking





Getting there





Nature and conservation





History and culture Highlights Explore the spectacular Pororari River Gorge with dramatic limestone cliffs, beech forest and glades of subtropical nīkau palms.

with dramatic limestone cliffs, beech forest and glades of subtropical nīkau palms.



Sit back and enjoy in incredible sunsets over the Tasman Sea from the Moonlight Tops Hut.

over the Tasman Sea from the Moonlight Tops Hut.



Follow in the footsteps of gold miners on the historic Croesus Track . Take a side trip to Garden Gully to see gold-mining remains.

. Take a side trip to Garden Gully to see gold-mining remains.



Enjoy the stunning views. You’ll spot the Lone Hand rock formation on the way to Pororari Hut. Watch video Places to stay There are three Great Walk huts on the Paparoa Track: Ces Clark Hut, Moonlight Tops Hut and Pororari Hut. Huts have bunks, mattresses, heating, gas cooktops, toilets, and a water supply. A DOC ranger may be present. The huts do not provide food, cooking utensils or showers. Backcountry Hut Passes can be used at Ces Clark Hut but not at Moonlight Tops or Pororari Huts. There are no campsites on the track. You'll need accommodation the night before your walk - camping at Smoke-ho car park is not permitted. Fees and bookings Fees are charged per person, per night to stay in huts on the Paparoa Track. There are no fees to complete a day walk/ride on the track or for entry into Paparoa National Park.

New Zealand citizens, those ordinarily resident in New Zealand*: Adult (18+ years): $45 per person, per night

Child (17 years and under): free but booking still required International visitors: Adult (18+ years): $45 per person, per night

Child (17 years and under): $22.50 per person, per night * New Zealand rates: "Ordinarily resident in New Zealand" means those: who hold a residence class, student or work visa; and who have lived in New Zealand for six of the previous 12 months; and for whom New Zealand is their primary place of established residence.

Proof of eligibility will be required for the New Zealand rate - see acceptable eligibility proof.

Backcountry Hut Passes can be used as payment for Ces Clark Hut, however you'll need to book online, then claim a refund. To claim a refund, email paparoavc@doc.govt.nz with your booking reference and a scanned copy of your Backcountry Hut Pass.

All three huts must be booked in advance. Book Paparoa Track online.

2020/2021 bookings Ces Clark and Moonlight Tops Huts are currently closed - see alert. Pororari Hut is open from Punakaiki. Bookings are open for trips from 1 October 2020 to 30 June 2021.

Walking options For a 1 or 2 night trip to Pororari Hut, see Paparoa Track: Pororari Hut Track.

For a 2 night trip, stay at Moonlight Tops and Pororari Huts. It's not feasible to stay at Ces Clark Hut and Pororari Hut – it's 28.8 km and a 10 hr walk between these two huts.

For a 3 night trip, stay at Ces Clark, Moonlight Tops and Pororari Huts. Track description Smoke-ho car park to Ces Clark Hut Time: 4–5 hr

Distance: 10.3 km The track begins at Smoke-ho car park and follows the historic Croesus Track. The track retains some of the original stonework and is steep and rough in places. This part of the track is much rougher than the rest of the Paparoa Track because of its heritage nature. It winds through mixed podocarp and beech forest, with occasional views of Blackball Creek. Keep an eye out for the rare blue duck/whio. The track then zigzags up the ridge between the Blackball Creek and Roaring Meg Creek catchments, then climbs more steeply into subalpine forest. If you're biking you may need to get off and push. On a fine day you'll be rewarded views of Lake Brunner and the Main Divide down to Aoraki/Mount Cook. Ces Clark Hut is on the edge of the bushline, set among low alpine scrub and with spectacular views.

Side trip: Garden Gully Time: 45 min return Take a side trip along this historic track to see relics of the gold-mining days. Turn off the Paparoa Track at Garden Gully junction. Historic Garden Gully Hut, a miner’s hut dating from the 1930s, is just a few minutes down the track, but is not recommended for accommodation. After crossing a suspension bridge, the track forks. To the left is a marked route up the creek to a century-old quartz crushing battery (5 minutes walking). To the right, the track climbs to the mouth of the collapsed Garden Gully Mine (15 minutes walking). Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Tops Hut Time: 3 hr

Distance: 9.7 km Beyond Ces Clark Hut you pass through alpine scrub and tussock with expansive views of Grey River/Māwheranui and Tasman Sea. The track follows the ridge of the main Paparoa Range through open alpine vegetation above the Roaring Meg and Moonlight Creek catchments, with views of Aoraki/Mt Cook on a clear day. Moonlight Tops Hut has panoramic views across the Punakaiki River headwaters around to the escarpment, Pike Stream and Paparoa National Park.

Side trip: Croesus Knob Time: 1 hr 10 min return The turn-off to Croesus Knob is a 30-minute walk beyond Ces Clark Hut. From the main Paparoa Track, a rough route climbs to the top of Croesus Knob (1204 m), where there are spectacular views down to Aoraki Mount Cook and out to Tasman Sea. This route is not suitable for mountain bikes and is not maintained to the same standard as the main Paparoa Track. Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororari Hut Time: 5–7 hr

Distance: 19.1 km Paparoa Track winds along the top of the escarpment, with steep cliffs and stunning views. There is an emergency shelter on the nothern end of the escarptment. About half-way to Pororari Hut, you descend from the escarpment through ancient podocarp forest. The track then follows the ridge above Tindale Creek to Pororari Hut. Keep an eye out for the Lone Hand, a gnarled outcrop of rock on the north side of the Pororari River. Pororari Hut to Pororari River car park or Waikori Road car park Time: 4–5 hr

Distance: 16 km to Pororari River car park, 17.1 km to Waikori Road carpark The track descends into the upper Pororari River valley and follows the river. In some places it follows an old track which was built c1912–1914 to establish a settlement in the valley. The track sidles along a spectacular gorge and descends through beech forest interspersed with northern rātā. At the junction of the Inland Pack Track and the Paparoa Track, hikers and mountain bikers diverge. Walkers take the Pororari River Track through the Pororari River Gorge; mountain bikers follow the Inland Pack Track over a low saddle into the Punakaiki River valley to Waikori Road car park. Both tracks pass through lush rainforest with glades of nikau palms.

Mountain biking Smoke-ho car park to Ces Clark Hut Time: 2–3 hr

Distance: 10.3 km Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Tops Hut Time: 1 hr 30 min – 2 hr 30 min

Distance: 9.7 km Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororari Hut Time: 4–5 hr

Distance: 19.1 km Pororari Hut to Waikori Road car park Time: 2 hr 30 min – 3 hr 30 min

Distance: 17. 1 km Paparoa Track is a well-formed track with numerous swing and suspension bridges. The track is Advanced: Grade 4 with a mixture of long, steep climbs, narrow track, poor traction and obstacles that are difficult to avoid or jump over. It's a particularly tough ride to Ces Clark Hut. The track is generally exposed at the outside edge. Most riders will find some sections easier to walk. Plan to spend one night on the track.

Rough section of the track up to Ces Clark Hut

Image: Ben Hodgson | DOC Rules E-bikes are not allowed. E-bikes are prohibited under the Paparoa National Park Management Plan. These were considered for Paparoa Track when the plan was reviewed in 2016, but were decided against until we understand how the track will handle standard mountain bike traffic. This rule will be reviewed in 3-5 years following a full review of the use of e-bikes on public conservation land.

Riding at night is not allowed, to protect nocturnal species found on the track.

This is a shared-use track. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.