Front country - easily accessible
Loop
Very hilly
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Open tussock/grasslands
Open ridges/tops
Gravel Road
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +9.7%
Average Downhill Gradient: -10.5%
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2:00
Slow
1:30
Moderate
1:00
Fast
The whole run is well signposted. Start at the carpark and head straight up the hill past the Leith Saddle Track DoC sign. Keep going to the top until you get to a large transmitter/radio tower. Head left down Rollinsons Road and head down here until you get past the radar (Doppler Array). On your right perhaps 100m down the road is a sign for access to the Burns, Rustler track Circuit. Head straight down this track, turning right at the Burns/Rustlers intersection.
It's down down down from here, through a bit of mud, some slippery sections and across a stream or two. Two thirds of the trail had been cleared when I passed through but the last third was pretty bushy. Gaiters are a great idea, I realised at this point. When you hit the bottom of Burns turn right onto the Pipeline track then left when you hit a bridge. The bridge leads onto a short section of road and onto Waitati Valley Road. The carpark is a short job up the hill
This trail includes the peak Swampy Summit.
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Carpark on Waitati Valley Road, off SH1.
11 km
11 minutes
Yes
No
Easy.
Generally good.
Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map, Headtorch and spare batteries, Gaiters
Bring water with you.
Can be exposed up top. Could get quite muddy after rain.
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Leith Saddle and Burns Track loop
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Did it in reverse. The Burns track starts out pretty steep then levels off towards the saddle then another steepish slog following Rustlers Ridge which then gets flatter and flatter until Swampy ridge is reached. Doing the Leith Saddle descent in the dark was lots of fun - an excellent track once you are in the trees makes for a fast descent. May be better to do it anticlockwise like I did as Burns can get quite muddy, slowing any descent to a crawl.
May 28, 2021
Just what I needed post the post lockdown parkrun, which coincidentally was my fastest of the year. Nice and mushy, couldn't see much being enveloped by cloud. The track down through the bush was slippery but I was wearing Scott Running Supertracs so I never fell over.
July 4, 2020
Good little loop. Quite overgrown on the return and muddy in spots but still fun!
June 9, 2020
These overlap with this trail to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate activity for each.