Cedar Flat Hut, Toaroha River

Cedar Flat Hut is a fairly popular West Coast hut due to its proximity to the road end. It’s a half-day walk

It’s only a short walk to some acceptable natural hot pools. You may need to dig them out after flooding. Take the hut shovel with you. The track to the pools at Wren Creek is well-signposted on the north side of the river near the swingbridge. You can fit a few people, neck-deep, to bask in the heat and avoid the sandflies.

The hut was recently extended and upgraded and now has double-glazed windows, insulation, a big communal table, and plenty of bench space. It is a good introductory hut for families or those who find the Great Walks insufficiently challenging. Note that the track in has some surprisingly gnarly moments.

Oh, there is a great collection of mature New Zealand cedars around, Lebocedrus bidwillii.

category . . . standard hut

hut fee . . . from 1 July 2026

Adult (18+ years): $15.00 per night
Youth (5–17 years): $7.50 per night
Child/Infant (0–4 years): free

Before you go, buy 1 Standard Hut Ticket (blue for adults, red for youth) for each night of your stay. Put this in the honesty box at the hut. A Backcountry Hut Pass is also valid year-round.

booking . . . not required all year for either hut or camping

campsite fee . . . free to camp

elevation . . . 430 m

bunks . . . 12 mattresses

built . . . 1968, extended and renovated 2012

heating . . . wood burner, firewood from the riverbank

water . . . tap above sink on verandah, from 2 × 1000 litre rainwater tanks

toilet . . . longdrop, shared with adjacent Cedar Flat Historic Hut