Branching west off SH60 before Upper Tākaka, tar-sealed Cobb Valley Road traces the Tākaka River, then becomes the gravel Cobb Dam Road. At 1,050 metres, it crests a ridge to reveal Cobb Reservoir, stretching west for about six kilometres. Beyond the lakehead is Trilobite Hut and the trail-end car park, giving access to the upper Cobb Valley.
I first visited here with my eldest son, Ben, when he was seven. The 13-kilometre trail leading up to Fenella Hut at 1,100 metres is a pleasant stroll through gradually ascending grass and tussock lands, interspersed with sections of tranquil beech forest. Either side of the valley, the Lockett Range to the east and the Peel Range to the west tower overhead.
