From the car park the track immediately enters beech forest, the trunks of which are sparsely-growing, giving the forest an airy feel. The track descends gently through the forest in a wide, flat gully. There are several karst ponds on the right side of the track along the way. After 1.5 km the gully narrows, and the track clambers over a jumbled mass of moss-covered marble boulders; this is the bed of the stream that was involved in the formation of Harwoods Hole long ago.

After 2.2 km you will reach the massive amphitheater that encircles the entrance to the Harwoods Hole. The track ends here, at a mass of boulders which you can climb over. The opening of the hole is about 50 metres across, but you cannot see down the shaft. Do not attempt to get close to the edge.

Return the way you came. Gorge Creek Lookout is a short deviation off the main track. The lookout gives impressive views over Gorge Creek valley and Takaka Valley, from a fractured marble outcrop.