Sunset at Syme Hut, overlooking Mount Taranaki. Photo credit: Kate Ross
Syme Hut, located on Fanthams Peak / Panitahi, is located in Egmont National Park on New Zealand’s North Island. The track starts at the Dawson Falls DoC visitor centre, which is about a 45 minute drive from the town of Stanford.
I hiked up to this scenic spot in February 2025, after almost five years of eagerly waiting to come back to New Zealand. I was excited to explore the area around Mount Taranaki and although I did not push onwards to the summit, the views from this hut were definitely worth the steep and slippery hike up.
Here is some beta for you to use while planning your hike to Syme Hut on Fanthams Peak / Panitahi.
Trail Stats
Distance: 8km round trip
Elevation: 1,055m (from AllTrails)
Route Type: Out and back
Difficulty: Hard
Hiking Season: December through April
Planning Resources
The Department of Conservation website has lots of useful information and topographic maps to help you plan your trip.
Preparing for the Trip
Itinerary
I wanted to enjoy the sunset and sunrise views from this scenic spot, so I decided to stay overnight at Syme Hut. This could pretty easily be done as a day trip if you are short on time. From Fantham’s Peak it is a 2-3 hour return trip to the summit of Mount Taranaki, which would be a great side trip if you are a fit and experienced tramper.
Transportation to Trailhead
I drove to the Dawson Falls DoC visitor centre, which is on the southern end of Egmont National Park, and parked my vehicle there overnight. This road is sealed and in good condition.
Sleeping Options
Syme Hut is a standard hut, and at the time of writing cost $10/night for an adult. There were several groups who camped outside the hut. There are lots of good flat spaces within easy walking distance of the hut.
On the Trail
Day 1: Dawson Falls to Fanthams Peak / Panitahi and Syme Hut
From the Dawson Falls visitor’s centre, the trail climbs steadily on a well-formed gravel path. Eventually you will break out of the treeline, where on a clear day you will have great views of your destination.
Fanthams Peak / Panitahi and Mount Taranaki in the distance. Photo credit: Kate Ross
You’ll pass the Hooker Shelter about an hour into your climb, which is a good spot to stop for a rehydration and snack break. Soon after, you’ll begin to climb a set of wooden stairs for another 20 minutes or so.
Eventually these steps end, and you will begin to climb directly up a scree slope. This part is slow going. You should expect to take one full step and slide at least half a step back down, due to the sandy scree. The slope is bare and very slippery in places so take care – the volcanic rocks are very sharp. Hiking poles were quite helpful on this section!
After another hour of climbing, the scree gives way to some sections of solid igneous rock, which is easier to climb. Finally – you’ll ascend over a lip and get your first views of Syme Hut.
I arrived at the hut by 2pm and did some tidying – there was quite a bit of garbage left here. Then I spent the afternoon reading my book and chatting with other hikers as they arrived at the hut.
Once the sun began to set, I went outside to take in the scenery. Visibility was excellent – we could not have asked for better weather. From the hut looking south, there were views of Farewell Spit. Looking West were views of the coastline, and looking East there were clear views of Ruapehu and Tongariro.
Day 2: Return trip to Dawson Falls
I enjoyed my breakfast and coffee outside this morning as the sun rose, with similar amazing visibility. Slowly I packed my bag up again and was back on the trail descending by 8:30am. Going down the deeper sand scree sections was easier than coming up, but I fell several times on the bare slope sections which are extremely slippery.
There were clear views of Ruapehu and Tongariro on the horizion for the entire descent.
Tongariro and Ruapehu on the horizon. Photo credit: Kate Ross
I was relieved to be done with the scree once I hit the wooden stairs, and was able to make a quick and safe descent to the Visitor’s Centre from this point.
Summary
When I was living in New Zealand I had several people recommend this hike. The views were panoramic and the sunset was one to remember.
Have you spent time exploring the Mount Taranaki area?
