Mataketake Hut
Haast, Paringa and Moeraki rivers area • West Coast
Alerts
Check the DOC website for current alerts and conditions before you go. This site gets current alert info from DOC, but is not an official source of information.
- About
- Mataketake Hut is an 8-bunk hut located on Mataketake Tops Route. On a weekend trip to the hut visitors can experience the backcountry from the mountains to the sea.
- Facilities
- Heating
- Mattresses
About this hut
You need to bring your own cooking tools such as a gas cooker.
Information about Mataketake Hut on Backcountry Trust website.
History
Mataketake Hut opened in February 2021. It was built by the Andy Dennis Trust, and is owned and maintained by the Backcountry Trust. Andy Dennis, a renowned New Zealand conservationist and author and a long-time member of Federated Mountain Clubs and Forest & Bird, died in 2016 leaving a bequest to build a new hut in the mountains of the South Island.
This hut site was chosen for its stunning surroundings, link with the historic pack track and plentiful birdlife.
Fees and bookings
Fees
Adult: $25 per night
Youth (11–17 years): $12.50 per night
Child/infant (10 years and under): free
Backcountry Hut Passes and Backcountry Hut Tickets cannot be used at this hut.
Bookings
Bookings are open for stays up to 30 June 2027.
- If no availability shows online for your dates, the hut is fully booked.
- No spaces are kept for visitors arriving without a booking.
- Phone and in‑person bookings made at a visitor centre incur a $10 service fee.
- Same‑day bookings are available online until 8 pm if spaces remain.
Your hut booking is for any bunk bed, not for a specific bunk bed – select your bunk bed on arrival.
Getting there
Mataketake Hut can be reached via Māori Saddle Route and Mica Mine Route. We recommend going up to the hut via the Māori Saddle Route. This will give you the best opportunity to judge the weather conditions on the tops and enable easy retreat if needed.
Tracks to this hut
Location
NZTopo50 map sheet: BY13
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1301412, N5141230
Know before you go
Travel to the hut along the Mica Mine Tops Route should only be attempted in clear weather – above the bush line, cloud can obscure the route making navigation difficult. If you are unsure about the conditions you should wait for better weather.
Only those with suitable backcountry route finding/navigation skills, safety equipment (including personal locator beacon) and warm, weatherproof clothing should attempt this route.
The lower sections of track crosses numerous small streams which flood quickly during rainfall. Trampers should wait until water levels have dropped before proceeding.
Nearby
Weather
Forecast at the hut