Ballard Hut
Ballard Hut is a backcountry hut in Kaweka Forest Park (Hawke’s Bay region), run by the Department of Conservation. It sits in a small clearing on the edge of the mountain beech forest slopes above the upper Makino River, and is positioned about 1,400 m where conditions can shift quickly, including brief snowfalls, strong westerly winds, and heavy winter frosts.
The hut is first come, first served (no standard booking required). It has 4 bunk beds, a wood-burning stove, drinking water from a rainwater tank, a shaded meat safe, and a long-drop pit latrine. A drop-off point for helitack/helipad exists about 30 m uphill. Plan to use the marked/poled track to reach the hut; Ballard Hut is about 500 m off the main tramping track at the northwestern end of the main Kaweka Range, and the route does not continue beyond the hut.