From Mikonui Flat hut, the Lower Tuke is a spectacular half to full-day outing for advanced packrafters.
Of all the options for an easy overnight trip on the West Coast, the Mikonui from Mikonui Flat hut is one of the best. It is especially good if you’re looking for a user-friendly float back to the car after a night in the backcountry or perhaps extending the paddle out by carrying on down the lower Mikonui (II) run to the state highway. It is also a good base for two higher-grade runs in the upper Mikonui and Tuke River gorges.
The lower Tuke gorge makes for an awesome half to full-day trip from the hut. Although the run is short the time required to get back to the hut will vary considerably depending on the amount of scouting needed to negotiate the rapids of the lower gorge.
Thanks to Shane Orchard for the information and photos for this trip page.
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Approach
Mikonui Flat Hut is about 1 hour from the end of Totara Flats Road. The DOC website has a few track notes for accessing the hut and routes further into the catchment.
For information about getting to the road end, check out the Mikonui River (II) page on this site.
Behind the hut, look for a marked track uphill towards the Tuke Gorge swing bridge, which is about 45 minutes away. From the swing bridge, the route upstream follows the true left bank.
A few initial scrambles around rocky outcrops along the riverbank lead to river flats higher up where a marked trail can be found. Follow this for around 2 km scoping the boulder garden rapids as you go. The riverbed tightens up as you approach the Dickie Spur track, just before a prominent bend at the confluence with Truran Creek. This bend is also home to a much steeper rapid with multiple awkward drops and sieves. Putting it at the bottom of this rapid is an excellent choice! Access the river with a short scramble down the bank before the Dickie Spur Track.
A recommended side trip is to the exit of Tuke Canyon. To get there, ferry across to river right, then scramble upstream around the corner. The exit of the canyon is a foreboding place with powerful jets of water, large waterworn boulders and much steeper terrain! This canyon was descended in a single push by elite kayakers over several days, using canyoning techniques and mid-gorge bivvies..
Tuke River (III) Truran Creek to swingbridge
From your chosen start point the section down to the swing bridge is mostly grade III rock garden style rapids that are all viewable from the walking track on the way in.
From the large pool below the swing bridge a sequence of drops leads down into the lower Tuke gorge. It can be seen from the swing bridge and easily scouted on the left.
Tuke River (IV) swingbridge to hut
From here down prepare for a fantastic sequence of grade 3 -4 rapids in the gorge proper as the walls close in.
Despite the close proximity of the track and hut, the high sided gorge and outrageous scenery produce a mini wilderness that will have you enthralled for the next hour or more. Most of the rapids have a pool-drop style except for a few longer chutes that may require breaking down to place safety mid-way.
Most teams would likely find themselves bank scouting every rapid to determine the best line and check for wood unless you happen to have solid local knowledge of the run. There are good options for eddying out at the top of each major rapid and all can be portaging if needed in moderate flows.
In the summer of 2023, there was wood trapped in a bouldery outside-bend style rapid towards the end of the run. The wood was difficult to see from a distance being mostly under the surface but could be readily seen and bypassed from the boulder beach on the inside of the bend (on the true right). Once out of the gorge a large pool marks the get-out point for returning to the hut (also a good swimming hole!). The track up the bank is hard to see from the river but can be found in the scrub at the top of a large beach that begins part-way down this pool.
Gauge
Visual. Best to wait for a bit of dry weather to get lower flows. Avoid this after rain or if rain is forecast.
Real cool trip with a nice section up top and finishing off with the gorge.
We went in to the hut late afternoon, scouted the other valley because of the forecast but needs a lot more water that side to paddle. Would have to come over from the other side I would say but the tuke level was great after the rain so we went up that way.
Put in below the drops near the end of the canyon, fun section down to the swing bridge. We scouted all the drops in the gorge, portaged one but would be good with afew more in the crew to help with cover.
Sweet trip over all, great for a longer day trip or staying at the up made it super chill.