[2] The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "large flax-stalk raft" for Mōkihinui.

In the rugged back country behind Seddonville at the Mōkihinui Forks, the river splits into two branches, north and south.

[8] Following the cancellation of the proposed Mokihinui Hydro project on the river in 2012, work began to add the catchment area to the adjacent Kahurangi National Park.

However, initially it dammed the river to a depth of 23 m (75 ft) at the entrance to the gorge, forming an 11 km (6.8 mi) lake.

[2] A tramping track called the Old Ghost Road runs along the south bank of the river giving access to Kahurangi National Park.

[18] During this period, the New Zealand Railways Department dumped two old steam locomotives along the river's banks between Seddonville and Mokihinui Mine to protect against erosion.

Both were recovered from the Mōkihinui River in 1989 by the Baldwin Steam Trust, and are under restoration at the Rimutaka Incline Railway.