Walk east for 600m along Barryville Rd and take the first right (Link Rd) and head E/SE through DOC’s Pureora Forest Park to Toitoi Rd. From the carpark at the end of this road, the Toitoi Track leads up to the summit of Mt Pureora (1 hr 30min). Here you will have some of the King Country's most panoramic views of Lake Taupo, Mt Ruapehu and the Kaimanawa Ranges.
From the summit, the route follows DOC’s Hauhungaroa Track through the Hauhungaroa Ranges. We drop down eastwards for 700m before turning southwards to Bog Inn Hut (3 hours 30 min).
After skirting the Bog, climb the ridge to Mt Weraroa at 1088m (3 hours), turn east and drop steeply to the Waihora Track (1 hour 30 min). The track continues onto the Waihaha Hut (4 hours).
Continue upstream from the Waihaha Hut on the true left of the Waihaha River. Just to the south of Te Awaiti Stream the track turns southwest and climbs the ridge onto the crest of the Hauhungaroa Range.
Te Araroa hopes to develop a new track south from here in the near future but, in the meantime, we take a detour by continuing on DOC’s Hauhungaroa Track.
The track follows the crest of the Hauhungaroa Range south and continues to the Hauhungaroa Hut (7 hours from Waihaha Hut).
From the Hauhungaroa Hut continue following the crest south past Mt Motere before dropping down to the head of the Mangakahu Valley and the road end (2 hours 30 min).
(Note: This last part of the route is 4 km past where we will be building a new turnoff when permissions are gained from private land holders). |
