The trails are rougher in spots but generally well marked. The huts usually have plenty of room and reservations are not needed. You do still have to pay for them though and you can either buy an annual pass or small denomination tickets that you then present to the hutmaster.Hump Track: Despite being in a National Park this one of the few privately run tracks in New Zealand. The huts feel a bit more like hotel conference facilities than mountain huts. But they're nicely done, work well with the surroundings and offer tea in the afternoon and some filling porridge at breakfast. The hike has a long steep ascent to a beautiful ridge with mountain views to the north and ocean views to the south. The last section is on an old rail grade and fairly dull with a hut placed in the middle to break up the tedium.
Dusky Track: This is a long hike that involves several days, an expensive boat pick-up and a trail that can be quite dangerous in wet weather. My Kiwi friend recommended I only attempt this after gaining some experience hiking in New Zealand.
Mavora & Greenstone Tracks: I was still in my thru-hike mode when I attempted this. The first section of the Mavora was quite nice, leading me past a beautiful lake into a classic New Zealand valley. After lunch the trail became quite rough, quite wet and occasionally difficult to follow. Although still in an open meadow on the valley floor, the track uses painted iron poles called waratahs to mark the route and didn't always go where you expected. On the second day the Mavora didn't get any easier entering the woods with no relief until I came out on the Greenstone Track.
The Greenstone is usually combined with the Caples and/or Routeburn Tracks and after hiking the Mavora I can see why. The Greenstone offered more valley walking but on an easier track.
Rees & Dart Tracks: This was one of the highlights of the whole trip. One river valley leading up to a high pass (Rees Saddle) and another river valley leading back down. What made it spectacular in addition to hiking over the saddle was a one-day side trip past the Dart Glacier. Seeing this river of ice from so many angles was a rare treat. Too many clouds to get a look at Mt Aspiring but other than that a truly magical hike.
Wilkins Valley: This one didn't go as well but more because of the weather and that I was starting to get sick. It's similar to the Rees and Dart Tracks in that it follows a valley, crosses a pass and the descends down another valley. The tricky part of this one is the river crossings. I took a jet boat to get to the trailhead and was hoping to ford the river on the way back but a heavy rain forced the issue and I had to take the jet boat back to the starting point.
Roberts Ridge & Lake Angelus: The sunrise on Lake Angelus was one of those unforgettable moments that I'll never forget. After a while I was taking pictures involuntarily I was so taken with the moment. Roberts Ridge isn't bad either but the track gets quite rocky and rough as the day wears on. The track is not as well known as some in New Zealand but the Angelus Hut is well worth the trip.
Pouakai Circuit: The biggest difference between the two islands of New Zealand, other than population is that the North Island is volcanic whereas the South Island was formed by the collision of continental plates. This three day route takes you around the smaller Mt Pouakai before skirting the edge of Mt Taranaki (or Egmont). You can also make a circuit of Mt Taranaki if you're so inclined. A separate track takes you to the summit but be prepared for snow and ice at any time of the year.