Wills Valley Track

Wills Valley Track is an advanced out-and-back from Gates of Haast Bridge to Wills Hut. It is 7.5 km each way, or 15 km return. Allow 5–6 hours to reach the hut; doing the full return in a day is roughly 10–12 hours before stops. This is for experienced trampers, and I’d plan it as a backcountry overnight rather than a casual day hike. The lower valley is a gorge; farther in, it opens onto grassy river flats.

The entry crosses a large, unstable slip before reaching the bush edge. An old bridle trail takes about 10 minutes; native nettles there can sting. From the bridle trail, the track climbs and sidles above the west side of Wills Gorge. At a smaller slip, stay high to find the steel ladder up a rock bluff. That’s the main route-finding point.

Past the bluff, the track climbs steadily through forest, then drops to a broad grassy flat on the true right of Wills River. That is where the marked track ends. Wills Hut sits on the true left, about 40 minutes from the start of the flat, so continuing to the hut means crossing the river.

Wills Hut has four bunks, heating, mattresses and a non-flush toilet. Its stream water should be boiled. Bunks are first come, first served, with no booking. The hut approach crosses Wills River; do not cross after heavy rain, in high water, or if you cannot find a safe crossing. Avalanche terrain crosses the route, usually from May into November. Dogs are not allowed.