A Day Hike Worth Doing: Exploring the Taipo Valley
Using Mid Taipo Hut as a base for exploring further into the Taipo Valley makes a lot of sense. Staying at the same hut for a couple of nights means you can unpack your overnight gear once and head out each day with only a small day pack. The lighter your load, the easier it is to move quickly and comfortably—particularly when the terrain becomes rougher and steeper.
A day trip from Mid Taipo Hut to Julia Hut, with the option of continuing down to the natural hot pools, makes for an excellent adventure at almost any time of year. However, weather conditions are important. Avoid heading in if heavy rain is forecast or has fallen recently, as the side streams can rise quickly and become impassable.
From Mid Taipo Hut to Tumbledown
Above Mid Taipo Hut, the track is well marked all the way to Julia Hut, which is a noticeable contrast to the lower Taipo Valley between Scotties 3-Wire and Mid Taipo Hut.
The track is generally well worn and reasonably wide in places, with a good, consistent gradient. The steepest section is between Tumbledown 3-Wire and Old Julia Hut, although even this is relatively gentle by backcountry standards.
About 20 minutes above Mid Taipo Hut, you’ll cross a swingbridge onto the true right of the Taipo River. Just beyond the bridge, a large clearing on the left contains remnants of the old Mid Taipo Hut, including its concrete fireplace.
It’s an interesting little piece of history and, if Mid Taipo Hut happened to be full, the clearing could potentially make a useful camping spot.
From the swingbridge, the marked track heads right and continues deeper into the Taipo Valley. It sidles alongside the river, occasionally dropping down towards the rocky river edge before heading back into the bush towards Tumbledown 3-Wire.
The 3-wire bridge is relatively short, sturdy and stable underfoot. Just as you step onto it, look to the left and you’ll see a large waterfall. On the far side of the bridge, you may even get your first hint of what’s ahead—a faint whiff of sulphur drifting up from the natural hot pools below Julia Hut.
Old Julia Hut
From Tumbledown 3-Wire, the track climbs steadily above the Taipo River. The gradient is consistent rather than particularly steep, and eventually the bush gives way to a grassy clearing where Old Julia Hut comes into view.
The hut was restored in the 2014 and retains much of its historic character. Inside, the wooden floorboards carry the scuff and scratch marks of years of use, adding to the feeling that you’re stepping into a small piece of backcountry history.
There are also rumours that Old Julia Hut is haunted.
Whether you believe the stories or not, it’s certainly the sort of place that makes you stop and wonder about the people who have stayed here over the years. If you’re brave—or simply curious—it could be worth spending a night here and seeing whether the hut’s history comes alive after dark.
Just a couple of minutes beyond Old Julia Hut, a narrow section of track leads to the junction with the newer Julia Hut and the track continuing towards Harman Pass.
Julia Hut
Julia Hut sits in a large, open grassy clearing above the river. There’s plenty of room around the hut for tents, and the clearing makes a pleasant place to stop for lunch, stretch out in the sunshine or simply enjoy the surrounding mountains.
At the far end of the clearing, a faint trail disappears into the bush. A hand-carved wooden sign marked “Hot Pools” with an arrow points the way.
If you’re heading down to the pools, pass the long-drop toilet and follow the track as it drops steeply towards the Taipo River.
A shovel can be found in a large cave before the final descent into the riverbed. You’ll want it if the pools need digging out—which, apparently, is fairly common.
Finding the Natural Hot Pools
The natural hot pools can be challenging to locate, and their exact appearance and accessibility can change depending on river levels, weather and how recently someone has dug them out.
Before heading down, check the hut book for the most recent information. This is particularly important because conditions can change and the pools aren’t always obvious.
The pools are on the true right of the river, roughly 80 metres below the large boulder with a plaque attached to it. Look for a large red boulder and keep an eye out for small streams or warm water emerging from the bush. You may need to feel around among the stones to locate the warmer water.
The pools are often buried or filled in by natural events and lack of use, so some digging may be required before they’re ready for a soak.
That uncertainty is part of the adventure, but it also means you shouldn’t make the pools the sole reason for your trip. The walk itself is well worth doing.
Back to Mid Taipo Hut
Once you’ve explored Julia Hut and, conditions permitting, enjoyed a soak in the hot pools, return the way you came.
Retrace your steps along the Taipo Valley, crossing Tumbledown 3-Wire and then the swingbridge near the old Mid Taipo Hut site before continuing back to Mid Taipo Hut.
With a light day pack, the return journey is straightforward and gives you another opportunity to take in the river, forest and surrounding mountains from a different perspective.
A Day Hike Worth Doing
The walk from Mid Taipo Hut to Julia Hut is a great example of why spending a couple of nights at a backcountry hut can be so worthwhile.
You get a relatively light day out, a beautiful river valley, surrounding mountains, two huts with plenty of history, a couple of interesting bridges and—if conditions and your navigation skills allow—the possibility of soaking in natural hot pools.
It’s the kind of day hike that has a little bit of everything.
And if you return to Mid Taipo Hut tired, happy and smelling faintly of sulphur, you’ve probably had a pretty good day in the mountains.
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