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Key facts
- Distance
- 13 km return return via same track
- Walking time
- 8 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Arthur's Pass National Park
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Climb above a gorged section of river, follow a creek, and walk through native forest on the way to Hunts Creek Hut.
This DOC directory entry covers Hunt Saddle Track to Hunts Creek Hut Track in Canterbury, within Arthur's Pass National Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 13 km return return via same track
- Walking time: 8 hr
- DOC grade: Advanced
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Description
The track starts from the Kelly Creek car park on SH 73. After following the Carroll Hut Track for a short distance, turn onto a steep track on the true left of Kellys Creek.
The track climbs high above a gorged section of river, before dropping back into the creek. Beyond here, it mostly follows the riverbed, with occasional brief sections of track until just below Hunt Saddle.
Pick up a track through light forest up to Hunt Saddle. The saddle is difficult to navigate - it's muddy and covered with head-high tussocks. Look for marker poles and watch out for deep holes.
A rough track continues to sidle in forest above Hunts Creek, climbing and falling regularly. The track crosses two large screes before dropping into the basin and the tussock flat where the hut is located.
Getting there
The track starts from the Kelly Creek car park on SH 73.
Location
NZTopo50 map sheet: BV20Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1477529, N5255771
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
