Takitimu Conservation AreaSouthlandAparima River Track · SouthlandPrinchester Saddle Route · SouthlandSouthlandTakitimu Conservation AreaLower Wairaki Hut to Upper Wairaki Hut Route · Takitimu Conservation AreaEndStart5 kmN ↑

Upper Aparima/Spence Burn Route other trails nearby (tap a dot to open it)

Get directions · Google MapsApple Maps

NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0) · OpenStreetMap · Official page · Basemap: OpenFreeMap (OpenMapTiles, © OSM contributors).

7-day forecast

Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)

Best time to hike

Best months: Oct–Apr · highs 10–16 °C (50–61 °F)

  1. J16°7°199
  2. F16°7°142
  3. M14°6°172
  4. A11°4°149
  5. M8°2°177
  6. J5°0°160
  7. J5°-1°128
  8. A6°0°139
  9. S9°1°159
  10. O10°2°182
  11. N12°4°153
  12. D14°6°190

Average high °C · low °C · precipitation mm per month. Highlighted: best months.

How we pick months

Best months are those where the 1981–2010 average daily high is 10–27 °C (50–81 °F), the average overnight low is 0 °C (32 °F) or warmer, and average precipitation is 200 mm (7.9 in) or less. Values are long-term monthly averages for the ~1 km cell at the trail point on the map, from CHELSA V2.1 climatologies (Karger et al., CC0), not a forecast. Higher or more exposed parts of a route can be colder, wetter or snowier.

About this trail

This track connects Aparima Folks Hut and Spence Hut, following the Aparima River and Spence Burn.

NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0).

Trail facts

Length
7.0 km · 4.3 mi (DOC route geometry)
Source
NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0)
Difficulty
Very hard (9/10) (Expert · NZ Department of Conservation difficulty (CC BY 4.0))
Typical time (DOC)
1 hr 15 min for Aparima Forks Hut, 3 hr for Spence
Official page
doc.govt.nz/link/c5833df51ad04a6ea79565cca49
Mountain range
Takitimu Mountains (GMBA)
Nearest town
36 km SE of Te Anau (Southland District, Southland) · GeoNames
Park or forest
Takitimu Conservation Area
Best months
Oct–Apr
Country
New Zealand
Region
Southland
Continent
Oceania
Route centre
-45.6943, 167.9507
How it’s scored

Very hard (9/10). Official rating: Expert · NZ Department of Conservation difficulty (CC BY 4.0).

A score is omitted when we do not have an official rating or enough measured length and elevation gain to compute one. Nothing is guessed. Read the NPS method: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/how-to-determine-hiking-difficulty.htm

Hikers can rate difficulty from 1 to 10 (1 = flat, short, easy walk for anyone; 3 = gentle hills, a little effort; 5 = moderate climbs, some fitness needed; 7 = steep or long, solid fitness required; 10 = extremely strenuous or technical; long steep climbing; experienced hikers only). The community average is shown once at least 3 people have rated the trail; until then the official or computed score is used when we have one.

Nearest trails

distance from the trail centre

All trails in Southland → · All 1,167 trails in New Zealand →