The Paparoa Track in my opinion is a very special track and Great Walk. It has a beautiful sense of remoteness. With smaller, more intimate huts than most of the Great Walks, there are fewer people on the track and you get a beautiful sense of stillness.
My partner Chris and I went with our best friends, Jess, Dan and their 2 year old Jed. Jess, Jed and I hike regularly together and Jed walked small portions on this trail himself but was mostly carried in a pack carrier. I’ve broken this trip down day by day.
Day 1 Blackball to Moonlight Tops Hut
20km | 8 hours including breaks
There is something so wildly exciting about heading out for a multi-day hike especially to an area you have never hiked before. It didn’t take long to ease into our adventure forgetting about life beyond the trail.
We woke on Day 1 in Punakaiki to rain, cracks of thunder and bolts of lightning. Seemed to be a very clear sign for us to question whether we should be going out hiking that day or not! Luckily, the forecast for Blackball was a stark contrast and the current conditions eased by the time we got our vehicles sorted. We took two cars and stayed in Punakaiki the night before. We dropped one car at the Punakaiki end and went all together in one vehicle to go to the Blackball end.
The drive from Punakaiki to the Smoke-Ho carpark northwest of Blackball was just over an hour. Once of out the township, the road to the carpark was gravel and became quite windy and steep in some places. We were met with an overzealous welcoming committee of sandflies. Thankfully, we had our bug spray ready which helped and gave us time to use the toilet (there’s a long drop at the carpark), double-check our gear and set off.
With a few clouds and the sun trying to poke out, we were off to a great start. It wasn’t too far from in before we crossed our first small swing bridge. The serene sound of rushing water in amongst the Podocarp and Beech forest really set the tone that no matter what was to come, there was no place any of us rather be.
Once past the bridges, the track gradually climbs through the forest into alpine scrub and tussock before reaching Ces Clark hut. At this point, we were 10.3km into our journey. It took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes with a lunch break. We also went into the hut for a few snacks and a cuppa.
It would be hard to expect 3 days of perfect weather on any hike, especially a Great Walk so we weren’t exactly surprised that when we reached Ces Clark Hut, the weather had changed and not for the better. The hut had reception so we were able to check on the weather again which gave us a report of wind and rain.
This is where it is important to assess whether to go ahead. The track from Ces Clark hut to Moonlight Tops isn’t overly challenging but it follows the ridge line and is exposed the entire way. Although unpleasant conditions, we were suited up with our rain gear and felt confident to go on.
I would say the track from Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Tops Hut is the prettiest part of the track despite our few and far between views. We did have brief spots where we could see the surrounding mountains are and at points views over to the Tasman Sea. A friend had walk the track a week earlier and said that by far the views on the ridgeline were the most epic!
It took just under 3 hours to get to Moonlight Tops Hut, which was pretty good despite the unsteady weather. We opened the hut door to be greeted by fellow trampers and garments hanging every which way suggesting they too braved the weather. After hanging up our own gear and popping our boots by the fire, we got settled into making dinner.
There’s something about eating food out of a bag in the middle of the mountains. At that moment life is simple and you truly take notice and appreciate even the smallest of things. Of course, my go-to without fail is the Chicken Carbonara or Creamy Carbonara from Back Country Cuisine.
We had a lovely rest of the night. A rainbow came out to shine as the clouds were slowly disappearing. With no rain or wind forecasted for the next day we went to bed excited about what lay ahead.
Day 2 Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororari Hut
19.1km | 7 hours including breaks
We set off from Moonlight Tops Hut with blue skies above ready to tackle another almost 20km day. We walked along Mt Anderson into the Goblin forest and along the escarpment of the Paparoa Ranges with views out to limestone cliffs and dense, untamed wilderness. It’s truly amazing the work that has gone into building this track over the given terrain.
There is an emergency shelter on the ridge before descending down the escarpment back into the forest. We stopped in the shelter for snack time and let the little hiker of our group stretch his legs and have a run around. The sky was overcast but luckily, no rain.
Not too far from the shelter is a small lookout and the entrance to the Pike29 Memorial Track- a route that leads to the Pike River Mine site, created to honour the 29 men who lost their lives in the 2010 tragedy. When we hiked the Paparoa in February 2024, the track wasn’t open just yet. I remember taking a moment to pause. That part of the track was a powerful reminder of why the track was built in the first place and how lucky we truly were to be experiencing it.
From the lookout, we descended on the ridge above Tindale Creek. We crossed bridges, small waterfalls and were surrounded by lush green forest. The birdlife was incredible including the shrieks from a Kaka up in the trees. We couldn’t quite figure out our bearings of where the hut might be but finally came out of the trees to the beautiful little green Pororari Hut. We said hello to a welcoming crew of one Weka and enjoyed the view before heading in to make dinner.
We had a hut warden come in and give us a chat about the hut, the Paparoa track and ranges which is pretty standard on New Zealand’s Great Walks. I think he realised that even though we had a 2-year-old with us, the entire group were all experienced hikers so it was more of a history lesson than learning about hut etiquette and safety.
We ended the night with a game of UNO before hitting the hay. Although being a light sleeper has some challenges, I was pleasantly surprised to be woken up with the sound of a Kiwi lurking outside in the middle of the night. You can’t see them but it’s a very cool experience.
Day 3 Pororari Hut to Pororari River carpark
16km | 4 hours including breaks
We woke up to a beautiful sunny day and the best way to finish off a multi-day hike. This was our shortest day of walking but was also the flattest. Although easy, after about 10km in we were all getting a little over walking. Nonetheless, we were in beautiful coastal forest with big ferns and vibrant green moss.
Not in a rush, we stopped for a lunch break and talked about the real food we were excited to eat by the end of the day. There were a few bridges to cross as we walked along the Pororari River the longer Upper Pororari Bridge being the most impressive. We saw more people this day on bikes and others going for a day walk from the Punakaiki end.
The clear water and tall ferns were giving jungle vibes and I couldn’t help but think how amazing it was that we went from Beech forest, to alpine scrub, limestone cliffs, escarpments to the gorge we were walking along. And all in the middle of remote wilderness.
Our Paparora trip came to an end as we reached the Pororari car park. For Chris and I, our first Great Walk ticked off and completed and it was truly was such an awesome experience. For Dan and Jess, it was the second to last one to do in the South Island! Needless to say, Jess and I were already planning our next adventure or what mountains we wanted to climb.
It was hot that day so we were happy to have a change of clothes and head to the nearest restaurant for a drink and pizza. We certainly earned it!
What I loved about the Paparoa
As my first Great Walk in New Zealand, it’s hard for me to compare the Paparoa to other Great Walks as I haven’t experienced them yet and can only go on what others have said and Jess’s experience. She’s hiked all but one so she had some pretty good insight.
All New Zealand Great Walks have that remote and wild feeling about them but there was something special about the Paparoa. The huts are not elaborate and are relatively small, meaning fewer people on the trail especially compared to tracks like the Routeburn, Kepler and Milford. Even with a shared biking track I feel there’s a quiet and beautiful simplicity to it all that we’re all there for this cool adventure.
I like that there’s an option to start/end at either points be it the Blackball end of Punakaiki. I recommend starting from the Smoke-Ho carpark. This means you’ll get the ascent pretty much done and over with. It’s fairly gradual and I think easier than coming from the Punakaiki end.
What I’d do different next time on the Paparoa
In all honestly, there wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this track. What I would change however, is considering wearing trail shoes rather than boots or looking at a more cushioned hiking boots perhaps like Tevas or Timberlands. There are some pros and cons to boots versus shoes for sure. I do a lot of long-distance trail running so shoes and the distance are not new to me. The problem with walking the long distance was just that my feet weren’t that comfortable.
This of course is my own personal preference and it will depend on your foot, what you find comfortable and your choice of footwear.
If possible, I would also make time to go up Croesus Knob. It’s a side trip from Ces Clark Hut. However, this is only possible in good weather, which we didn’t have at the time. You can read more about that side trip in my Guide to hiking the Paparoa Great Walk (when it’s published!)
If you haven’t done any Great Walks yet, but you’re an experienced hiker, I think the Paparoa is a really good one to start off with. 100% worth the 55km! Don’t expect perfect weather but instead an incredible adventure!
