Located: Whareorino Conservation Area, BF31 448552.  The track traverses maps BF31 and BF32.

Access: It took us three and a half hours to get to the hut from Leitch Road, with our one-and-a-half year old walking for part of the way and being carried the rest (DoC allows three hours for big people).  One of the highlights for our little one was a tunnel formed by a fallen tree.  There are no major river crossings. Distance is 9.4km along a well-formed track.  The elevation range is 263m – 510m and not steep.

Hut features: Leitch’s Hut is a standard 16 bunk hut, with two separate bunkrooms.  It has a good quality wood burner with a wetback, which means the hut has hot water.  There are lots of cooking utensils, pots and pans etc, as well as information panels about the history of the hut and area.  The hut is in a clearing, surrounded by flat land, so lots of camping spots.  There is a stream close to the hut.  Being at low altitude makes this hut a year round option.

Negatives: The hut does sometimes get abused, also there is also evidence of dogs staying inside.  You are also likely to have to share the hut.

Visited: May 2015 by Gray Family