Cape Brett Track
Cape Brett Track is an advanced, coastal tramping route in New Zealand’s Bay of Islands, running about 16.3 km one-way through native and regenerating bush. It’s relentlessly undulating with steep climbs, cliffside undulations, and narrow exposed sections.
The standard overnight pattern is to hike from Rawhiti toward the Cape Brett Peninsula and finish at the historic lighthouse/cape hut area (often used with a hut stay rather than doing it all in a day). From there, the hut-to-lighthouse end sits on the cape where the final payoff is on the peninsula’s outer edge.
The first 10 km crosses private land, with a walkway permit required for that section. The next portion runs from Deep Water Cove onto public conservation land, and after Deep Water Cove the track is more exposed with steep drop-offs.
About 10 km in, a turnoff leads to Deep Water Cove as a common “shorten the trip” option; a side trip there is described as about a 1 hour return walk. The cove is used as a sheltered break point for swimmers/snorkelers when conditions allow, and it’s also the place where many consider staging a water-taxi option for cutting the route.
From Deep Water Cove onward the route gets more demanding—fewer easy miles, more exposure along the coastal cliff line, and a steeper feel over the last stretch. Despite the distance sounding modest, it’s described as tiring and time-consuming, with the one-way journey taking roughly 8 hours for experienced trampers.
The destination hut is the Cape Brett Hut: a 23-bunk DOC hut in the former lighthouse keeper’s house. Facilities include mattresses, cooking, and non-flush toilets; water at the hut is described as needing treatment (boil if using).
The track is managed with strict access and impact rules: stay on the marked route, keep gates closed across the private-land section, and there is a strong fall-risk component due to cliff edges. The track begins from a tidal beach access point at Oke Bay, so timing around tides is a key logistics constraint.
More information: Conditions, A Guide to Hiking the Cape Brett Walkway - Laura the Explorer, Cape Brett Track - Department of Conservation