Hutt River

The Hutt River flows through the southern North Island of New Zealand. It flows south-west from the southern Tararua Range for 56 kilometres (35 mi), forming a number of fertile floodplains, including Kaitoke, central Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt.

There is a trail alongside the river bank in which you can walk or bike. The Hutt River Trail starts at Hikoikoi Reserve on Petone's Marine Parade or you can enter at many points along the Trail to Upper Hutt, 29 km away.

Along the trail you can discover two sites where The Lord of the Rings was filmed. In Harcourt Park you will find the site of Isengard, the ancient Gondorian fortress at the southern end of the Misty Mountains, facing Rohan. Between Moonshine and Totara Park the river was the site for The Great River Anduin.

The Hutt River Trail runs as far as the Te Marua area of Kaitoke Regional Park and links into the Rimutaka Rail Trail.