Trotters Gorge (back up for planned Carey’s Creek walk)
Sunday 6 September 2026
This trip was meant to be to Carey’s Creek near Evandale, down near Dunedin. The weather forecast was looking like a bit of a mixed bag, so we thought we would stay closer to home. Trotters Gorge was picked as our back up plan, so five of us set out in overcast conditions to explore the many tracks we have down there.
We set off taking the short track along the creek opposite the camping area, but it had been a while since anybody had done anything to this track–it was overgrown and had a bit of wind fall, so it was on hands and knees in some places.
Luckily, we were back on the main track in no time and off up the gorge past the Otago University hut, crossing the creek several times until we came to the Eucalyptus Plantation.
From here I had received permission from the forestry company to take a fire break up out of the gorge to a forestry road. This is where the drizzle started, so a short break was taken under some trees to have a bite to eat and get our rain gear on.
It was then off up the road to South Peak, which was under low cloud. We had thought of going down into Pigeon Bush from here, but with the drizzle turning into light rain the decision was made to carry on over to the North Peak cave for lunch. The cave made for a very pleasant and dry place to have an early lunch.
After lunch it was back out in the low cloud and murky conditions, back over to the cloud covered South Peak and down the forestry road for about 3 km until we came to an old fire break. This led us to the start of a track the Club has down there called Dave’s Track, which is a memorial track for a past member that we maintain.
Dave’s Track is about 1 km long and drops down into a wee scrubby bush valley under a cliff face, and finally comes back out near the Eucalyptus Plantation in Trotters Gorge, where we were earlier in the morning. We then returning back down the Trotters Gorge track for a couple of kilometres to the camping site and our car.
Everyone enjoyed theirday out in trying conditions, but good rain gear helps with that. There wasn’t much of a view all day, but having a cave to go to for lunch made it easier.
All up we covered just over 14 kms in just under 5 hours.
Thanks to Rex, Bess, Lorena and our new member Bev for coming along and making a good day out of it, and the Forestry company for letting us use their area.
–Neville
