Trotters Gorge, Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve, Otago: 26th January 2020

An Otago oddity....Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve

Karen and my latest adventure was a trip down to Rakuira/Stewart Island to walk the Rakuira Great Walk. It was an awesome trip and has inspired me to start planning another visit to walk the NW Circuit or Southern Circuit sometime over the next year.

Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve, Moeraki, North Otago

We also did many other great things on our holiday one of which was a visit to the Moeraki Boulders and the Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve close to Moeraki. Trotters Gorge is a lovely wee reserve about 10 minutes south of Moeraki down Horse Range Road. There is a very nice campsite, picnic area and several short tracks into the nearby limestone gorge area.

Start of the tracks at the Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve, Moeraki, North Otago

While the reserve is very nice the main reason I was here was to baggins another backcountry hut...in this case the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut. Every trip we take I make an effort to bag any huts easily accessible from the main route we are following. The OUTC hut is a rustic, quirky character...it is log cabin style and set in a large clearing with an awesome looking swimming hole close to hand.

The OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut, Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve

Even though it is only 20 minutes walk from the campsite it is a real backcountry hut which gets a ton of use from the Otago University Tramping Club.

Walking to the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

Our whole visit to this very lovely reserve was all about me bagging the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut a short 20 minute walk up the river. As such Karen opted to stay at the car and wait for my return as we were a bit uncertain just how long it would take to walk to the hut.

The tracks at Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve, Moeraki, North Otago

Walking down to Trotters Creek, Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve, Moeraki, North Otago

The track to the hut starts at the campsite and immediately crosses Trotters Creek which was very low in the dry conditions but I imagine a beast if it rains. The track was absolutely lovely with many mature trees inter-spaced with dense bush and regenerating forest cover. I was under the trees for the whole way except for the four river crossings required along the track.

Map: Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve, Horse Range Road, Moeraki

Crossing Trotters Creek, Trotters Creek Track

A gate to stop unauthorized 4 W/D access, Trotters Creek Track

Second crossing of Trotters Creek, Trotters Creek Track

The track is an old 4 W/D track that leads right to the front door of the Hut....the OUTC hut is the only building up this river valley and I imagine the road is there to allow maintenance to be carried out on the hut from time to time.

Lovely native bush along the Trotters Creek Track

Kamihia, Kahikatea and Totora forest at the Trotters Creek Track

While there are four river crossings on this track...they were all very easy to complete as the water level is very low and the river beds are flat even gravel. I would use caution if visiting the area during or after heavy rain as I could see signs of flooding quite a way from the river. Trotters Gorge is a high narrow limestone valley which would constrict a flooded river to a narrow and deep channel.

Third crossing of Trotters Creek, Trotters Creek Track

Trotters Creek Track: dense bush surrounds the track

 The limestone bluffs are interesting looking and are covered with small caves and indentations which the local birds have adopted as their home. I saw a lot of native birds up here including Tui, Kereru, Bellbirds and Fantails.

Fourth and last crossing of Trotters Creek, Trotters Creek Track

Limestone Bluffs and seasonal flowers on the Trotters Creek Track

The last section to the hut is the worst along the track...it is up a very gentle slope which has become rutted by passing vehicles. Even here it is easy walking and would pose no problems to 90% of moderately fit people.

Climbing the hill at the end of the Trotters Creek Track

Coming to the side track to the OUTC Trotters Creek Hut

The very last section of the track is through Kanuka as this is the site of an old farm now long abandoned and slowly reverting to forest.

At the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

There is a stile at the end of the track which leads directly to the hut siting in its large open clearing next to the creek. There is vehicle access to the hut site but you will be walking along the path as only people with a key for the first gate will get their 4 W/D up the track.

Entrance to the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut, Trotters Creek Track

It is a quirky looking structure...the main hut with bunk-rooms, kitchen and living areas is in the style of a log cabin except here the logs are vertical not horizontal. There is a large open sided shelter attached which would allow tents to be erected under cover as well as serving as a drying/socialising area.

The rustic 16 bunk OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

The hut has 16 bunks, a wood burner and toilets but I did not see any water tanks so water must come from the nearby Trotters Creek. It looked like someone had been working at the site as the hut had a new wooden veranda and some obvious repairs to the shelter were under way. 

The OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut is log cabin style...

Jon at the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut...

A large limestone hill near the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

The hut was heavily shuttered as all back-country structures must be when they are this close to the road. Scumbags and idiots would love to come up here to vandalize a hut like this..it happens all over the country so I am sure it has happened here in the past. 

Close up of the rustic OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

The nearby creek was very low but there appears to be a very fine swimming hole in the river that I am sure the hut visitors use when the river is a bit higher. The forest is dense around the hut site...and the hut is surrounded by high limestone bluffs which gives the valley a micro climate of its own. It is almost an oasis as the surrounding area of north Otago is bone dry while this reserve was lush, green and cool. 

Mostly dry swimming hole at the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

Last view of the OUTC Trotters Gorge Hut

I spent about 10 minutes around the hut site and then headed back down river as we still had a 2 hour drive to get to Dunedin our destination for the night. 

Heading back to the Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve

You return to the camp site along the same track..there are no alternates or other tracks you can follow. It is a nice walk in the remnant forest..it would be worth taking a walk up the track to see the river even if you were just here for a picnic. 

Walking through Manuka on the Trotters Creek Track

You have a better view of the high limestone bluffs as you walk back to the campsite...the gorge is deep and some of the bluffs look to be up to 200 meters high in places. The creek itself looks like a flooder. If you were here camping or staying in the hut you would have to dee-dee if it started to rain or you could easily get stuck up the valley for a while. 

The Trotters Creek Track is an old 4 W/D track

Limestone bluffs line both banks of the Trotters Creek Gorge, Trotters Creek Track

Deeper water at the third crossing of Trotters Creek

I saw a number of people as I was walking to and from the hut site...they were probably bagging the hut like I was...

Semi mature Lancewood Tree on the Trotters Creek Track

The forest is a mixture of Lancewood, Cabbage Trees, Kanuka, Kamahi & Broadleaf as well as some large Totora, Rimu and Kahikatea trees. The under growth is mostly ferns with some other low shrubs and vines...this is typical for this kind of low land coastal forest. 

Kamahi Forest along the Trotters Creek Track

The second river crossing is the deepest one...it is a meter deep in places but where I crossed it was only up to my ankles. There is no way to avoid wet feet crossing the creek at this point so do not come up here if you don't want wet boots. 

Deep water at the second crossing point on the Trotters Creek Track

Trotters Creek Track:I saw several people walking along the track

Just before the first/last river crossing point are a series of deep pools...even with the lack of water in the rest of the catchment these pools were a couple of meters deep. I could see some of our native fish (Galaxiids) swimming around...smaller specimens but it is good to see that they continue to live in the river. 

Deep pools in the bed of Trotters Creek, Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve

Another swimming hole/pool at Trotters Gorge Scenic Reserve

The last part of the track is the small climb up to the campsite after first crossing the creek one more time. This is the easiest of the river crossings so it is possible to get some distance up the track without getting wet feet. 

At the start/end of the Trotters Creek Track

So that is the walk up to the OUTC Trotters Creek Hut...a nice wee track through lovely forest with some gentle river crossings thrown in. If you are ever travelling between Christchurch and Dunedin why not take a short detour and visit the reserve. A great spot for a picnic, a nice camp site and sporting a number of very nice short tracks. 

Access: From Moeraki turn off SH 1 onto Horse Range Road approx. 2.4 km's south of Moeraki Boulders. After 4 km turn onto Trotters Gorge Road and follow this for a short distance to the reserve.
From Palmerston turn off SH 1 onto Horse Range Road on the northern outskirts of Palmerston. Follow this road for approx. 11 km, then turn onto Trotters Gorge Road and follow this to the reserve.
Track Times: From Trotters Gorge car-park to the OUTC Trotters Gorge hut is one hour return.
Miscellaneous: Numerous stream crossings required so this is not an all weather track. Do not walk this track during/after heavy rain!!! Muddy and rocky in places with gentle hills to climb. There are several good tracks to be accessed from the reserve.