Majestic Mihiwaka

I checked out the trails on Mihiwaka and surrounds at the weekend and, surprisingly, they’re quite dry. However, they’re not without some excitement. We are going to try parking at the Organ Pipes car park (see location). It is a small area, but approx. 200 metres before the car park (coming from Dunedin) there is a pull-in area on the right. If using this area, please do not block off the private driveway situated at the far end of the pull-in area. Once we congregate at the Organ Pipes car park we’ll head off down Mt Cargill Road. There’s probably 4-5 km of tarmac on this route, so bring your “sacrificial” trail shoes. Reaching the Cedar Creek Bullock Track we enjoy a cool climb to the the same named reservoir. We then head up the unsealed roads to the Mihiwaka track. There are two options now on this route: to be (enjoy the mud) or not to be (avoid the mud). A new trig crowns Mihiwaka’s top. Retracing our steps we’ll head around the reservoir and then walk-run up Mt Cutten before taking the Quarry Track back down to Mt Cargill Road. This track is a little overgrown in places and now transected by a dirty, big forestry access road, so has some interesting clambering over felled trees to connect the two ends. Emerging on the Mt Cargill Road it is a 1.5 km jog on tarmac back to the cars. It is somewhere between 10-11 km and some 500 metres of total ascent. If this sounds like you, meet us at 6pm (yes, I won’t leave early again - apologies). Head lamp essential (still).