We went on this trail at a slightly off time of year and were rewarded by having almost the whole hut to ourselves.  The hut is huge, so if you pick a high season you may end up surrounded by school kids.  This hike takes 3 -4 hours up to the top and you are rewarded with fantastic views in all directions.  The old kauri forests that were here have been completely logged out and it is so sad and fascinating to see how they did it and hear the legends.  There are places you can get inside an old stump of a kauri tree and really feel just how large these trees really were. I highly recommend this trail.