Climbing deep into the Ruahine Ranges, this one tops out around 1400m as one of the highest public roads in the country. On a clear day you can see for miles in every direction, so it pays to pick your weather. Some folks have driven it in a high-clearance AWD in the dry, but it's a different animal when wet.

The lower half is the toughest going, with rutted, slippery clay and a notorious obstacle about 1km in. That's a near-vertical winch wall, with an off-camber bypass cut through the bush. Both routes can demand a winch and proper recovery gear, especially when wet, so don't tackle it alone.

Higher up the going eases as you reach the A-frame hut, a good spot to look around or stay the night. Take some soft bedding if you're sleeping over. Beyond the hut the track gets harder again before petering out into soft marsh, which isn't worth attempting solo.

Note the seasonal closure. The DOC section closes 13 September and reopens 1 January, with a locked gate at the bottom to protect the road over winter.