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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: -39.84010, 176.03995. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 2-3 days
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Ruahine Forest Park
- Seasonal restrictions
- Access is closed from 1 June to 31 October and may be closed at other times of the year for farm management purposes.
- Dog access
- No dogs. 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
A loop track that takes in the Pourangaki River valley and the open tops of the Hikurangi Range in the Ruahine Forest Park.
This DOC directory entry covers Purity - Kelly Knight Hut Loop Track in Manawatu-Whanganui, within Ruahine 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 2-3 days
- 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.
- Kelly Knight Hut Track closed; First published on 11 May 2023. Last reviewed on 6 October 2026.
Seasonal restrictions
Access is closed from 1 June to 31 October and may be closed at other times of the year for farm management purposes.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Day 1: Mangakukeke Roadend to Purity Hut
Time: 3–4 hr
Climb the marked Purity Hut Track through farmland and forest to Purity Hut, nestled above the bushline on the Hikurangi Range.
Day 2: Purity Hut to Kelly Knight Hut
Time: 4–5 hr
The track follows on up a tussock ridge from Purity Hut to Wooden Peg (1672 m). From here a roughly poled route heads south, then descends through forest to Kelly Knight Hut in the Pourangaki River valley. Due to travel on the open tops this section should not be attempted in poor visibility or bad weather.
Day 3: Kelly Knight Hut to Mangakukeke Roadend
Time: 3 hr 30 min – 4 hr 30 min
Walk the sidle Kelly Knight Track out from Kelly Knight Hut to the entrance point on Kohunui Station and then follow the farm road back out to the Purity carpark.
Getting there
Heading just north from Mangaweka turn right off SH1, cross the Rangitikei River and follow Kawhatau Valley Road. This eventually leads to Upper Kawhatau Valley Road and not far past this turn right onto Mangakukeke Road. Follow this to the carpark at the end.
Permission needed to access the hut
Access to the hut is via a working farm. You need the landowner's permission to walk to Purity Hut from the carpark at the end of Mangakukeke Road.
Contact DOC Manawatū Office for the landowner's contact details.
Email the farm owner to request access over the farm – at least 48 hours before your visit.
Know before you go
Access to Purity Hut involves first gaining permission to walk across an active working farm.
Hazards
The farm is an active workplace. Hazards change daily and may include moving stock, farm vehicles, electric fences, irrigation equipment, uneven ground, and chemicals used for pest or weed control. Animals may react unpredictably to people, dogs, or sudden movements, even if they appear calm.
Always stick to the marked routes
Leave gates exactly as you find them
Keep well clear of machinery
Closely supervise children at all times
Dogs
If your dog has been permitted (check with the landowner when you request access permission) keep it under strict control. Dogs can frighten/injure livestock very quickly.
Firearms prohibited
Visitors must not hunt or bring loaded firearms onto private property, nor use spotlights or light fires.
Sick/dead farm animals
Occasionally, walkers may come across a sick or dead animal on farmland. If this happens to you, do not touch the animal, as there may be disease risks or other hazards. Notify the farmer or land manager as soon as possible.
Ongoing access
Respecting farm rules and reporting concerns helps protect your own safety, supports animal welfare, and ensures farms can continue to be shared responsibly with the public.
Abuse of access rights will result in trespass, prosecution and permanent closure of public access.
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.
