A climb up to Canaan Downs and a scenic saddle opens into a high-country plateau on the edge of Kahurangi National Park. The scenery changes quickly as you go, with good views on a clear day, and you'll pass an off-grid settlement along the way.

The gravel road is generally well-formed but can be rough in places, so airing down adds a bit of comfort on the rougher sections. Easy-going drive overall.

The road leads to a DOC campsite with a toilet and gives access into the national park. From the campsite it's about a 45-minute walk to Harwoods Hole, one of the deepest vertical shafts in the country and well worth the short detour. Plenty more here than the gravel-road billing suggests.