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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -40.85604, 175.48402. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 8.2 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 8 - 9 hr return
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Tararua Forest Park
- Dog access
- Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules.
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
The Barra Track follows the Waingawa River to Mitre Flats and Mitre Flats Hut.
This DOC directory entry covers Mitre Flats Track in Wellington, within Tararua Forest 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: 8.2 km return via same track
- Walking time: 8 - 9 hr return
- 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.
- Predator control Tararua Forest Park; First published on 3 March 2026. Last reviewed on 21 May 2026.
Dog access
Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The track passes along the true left of the Waingawa River, reaching Mitre Flats (and hut) in 4 - 5 hours. The return trip can be completed in 8 - 9 hours. You can enter and exit the Northern Crossing via this track.
Getting there
From Masterton turn off State Highway 2 into Upper Plain Road and then into Upper Waingawa Road to the Pines carpark where the Barra Track begins.
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.
