Hopkins Valley

Hopkins Valley
Fatbike Microadventure #3

A long weekend bash from Ohau up the grandly proportioned Hopkins Valley with great huts and camping spots. It’s a feast for fatbikes with numerous river crossings and river bed travel and an outstanding alpine setting.

The Hopkins Valley is a gem, and a fave of ours for loading up the fatbikes and taking the path less pedalled.

View route on NZ Topo Map | Download .kml file | Download .gpx file

Highlights

Fording wide but shallow (when the conditions are good) river braids that are very rideable and fun on a fatbike.
Great huts with fireplaces so you can stoke up some heat to thaw the feet after all the river crossings!

Logistics

Sleeping

There are 6 DOC huts in the valley plus a rock biv at the very top of the valley.
Monument Hut can be easily reached for the first night if you are starting late on a Friday night for instance – easy riding on good 4WD track and no rivers to cross in the dark. It sleeps 6 and has a fireplace.
Red Hut is a historic tourist hut from 1916, and sleeps 12 and has a fireplace.
Dodger Hut is a standard 4 bunk forest service hut and has a fireplace.
Erceg Hut is a basic 4 bunk hut.

You will need hut tickets or a backcountry hut pass (purchase from DOC) to stay in the huts.

Extra info

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Hopkins Valley

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