Lodging · Arthur's Pass National Park
A two-bunk refuge reached only by a serious river route.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Arthur's Pass Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Arthur's Pass National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
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“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Sudden Valley Bivvy is a basic two-bunk backcountry hut tucked into beech forest beside Sudden Valley Stream. It suits experienced trampers looking for a genuine remote overnight, not an easy hut walk. The bunks are first come, with no booking, so have a backup plan if they are taken.
The route branches from the Hawdon Valley near Hawdon Shelter. There is no DOC track to the hut and the route is only sporadically marked; expect repeated river crossings and a steep scree-and-bush bypass around Barrier Falls. Only go when rivers are low. Check current river, route and avalanche conditions before setting out.
DOC built the present hut in 2007 to replace an older crawl-in bivvy. It sits among beech trees on the true right of Sudden Valley Stream. Farther in, the valley opens onto river flats with mountains all around; that open stretch is a big part of the payoff.
The hut has two bunks; potable water is not confirmed, and you should not expect food or supplies in this remote valley. Bring the food you need and plan to carry or treat water.
Wildlife
982 sightingsKeaMost seen around noonSighting map
39 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
190 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
20 sightingsKākāMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsWekaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
15 sightingsParadise ShelduckMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Arthur's Pass. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingEast Hawdon Bivvy Route22 km · 10 hr · 5.5 km awayA remote, unmarked river route to East Hawdon Bivvy.
ChallengingHawdon Hut Track18 km · 7 hr · 5.5 km awayA backcountry hut walk with a string of river fords.ChallengingSudden Valley Bivvy Route12.9 km · 5.5 hr · 5.5 km awayA rough river route to a tucked-away two-bunk bivvy.
ChallengingWoolshed Hill Track5.1 km · 3 hr · 5.5 km awayA steep bushline climb for Hawdon Valley and Waimakariri views.
Lodging · 4.7 km awayEdwards HutA wood burner and red tussock flats reward a rough valley walk.Lodging · 4.8 km awayHawdon HutA roomy 20-bunk hut at the end of a river-crossing test.
Campground · 5.5 km awayHawdon Shelter CampsiteThirty tent sites on broad alpine flats, with a cooking shelter.
Lodging · 6.8 km awayMingha BivvyA free two-bunk hut reached by river crossings and a climb.
Sight · 7.2 km awayLake MavisA steep, faint climb to a lake beneath Mt Oates.
Lodging · 8 km awayEast Hawdon BivvyA free two-bunk bivvy for a long, off-track Hawdon Valley trip.Parkwolf’s Arthur's Pass ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
