Lake Emily to Manuka Hut
Hakatere · Canterbury · Point to Point
This walk was suggested by the community and checked against the authority quoted above before it was published. The route line comes from official track data. DOC’s own wording: “Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules”. Evidence: the rule-setter’s own published wording. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
Dogs are allowed here. Watch for ground-nesting birds and stock, and read the signs at the gate.
About Lake Emily to Manuka Hut
This moderate-length track follows 4.7 km as a point-to-point, near Hakatere in Canterbury.
Runs from the Lake Emily car park in Hakatere Conservation Park up the Stour valley to the six bunk Manuka Hut, on the Te Araroa alignment through the Ashburton Lakes basin, Ō Tū Wharekai. From the car park follow the tramping track for a kilometre to the Stour Track junction, keep left on the marked Te Araroa line, and stay on it until it meets the Stour River where the mountain bike link rejoins, then carry on up the river to the hut. DOC grades it an advanced tramping track and asks that bikes and horses stay off the Te Araroa section between Lake Emily and the hut, which is steep and easily damaged: the bike and horse approach is the longer Stour Track and Manuka Hut Mountain Bike Link. Dogs are welcome under control here, and this walk stops at Manuka Hut. The Te Araroa carries on north toward Double Hut, and DOC records the Double Hut spur itself as no dogs. Access is off Hakatere Heron Road about 31 km west of Mount Somers, turning right just before the Jacobs Stream bridge at Castleridge Station; 2WD vehicles park on the farm track verge and 4WD vehicles can carry on 1.4 km to the small car park on conservation land near the lake.
Expect moderate going, with around 188 m of climb, and takes about 1 hr 15 min to walk.
Dogs are welcome here. This walk is on the map because Shannon suggested it, and we checked it against the source above.
