Kerin Forks Hut

Kerin Forks Hut is a Department of Conservation backcountry hut with 10 bunks, set on a rise above the Wilkin River near Siberia Stream. This is a waypoint for multi-day tramps into the upper Wilkin Valley, not a roadside attraction.

From the Wilkin Road end, allow about 15 km and 4–5 hours on foot. The route crosses the Makarora near the road end and the Wilkin near the hut, both without bridges. Those crossings can be dangerous or impassable after rain; they are for experienced parties, and waiting for a safe level is part of the plan. The lower valley track is rough, with forest undulations before it opens onto river flats. From Siberia Hut, the Gillespie Pass Track route is about 7 km and 2–3 hours.

Hut bookings are required from 22 October to 30 April; outside that period bunks are first come, first served. The hut is popular from December until after Easter, so carry a tent or roll mat as backup. Camping outside the hut is also available under separate booking rules. Dogs are not allowed on the route. Check current track and weather conditions before setting out.

There are 10 bunks with mattresses, a wood burner for heating, and non-flush toilets. The water is untreated, so boil it before drinking. Bring your own food, sleeping bag, stove and fuel, cooking gear, torch, toilet paper, and a rubbish bag.

The hut sits above a broad river valley where open, stony flats alternate with beech forest and grassy clearings. A local account connects the names Dans Flat and Jumboland to Donald “Yankee Dan” Caldwell, an early sawmiller who rode a horse called Jumbo into the upper valley; the story belongs to the surrounding flats, not the hut’s name.