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KAMAHI
WALK: A
beautiful easy walk of 15 minutes dominated by the Kamahi and
a wonderful introduction to the Goblin forest, mountain streams,
ferns, Tui, Bellbirds and native bush Pigeon |
| PATEA
WALK: A
medium walk of 1 hour. Start just below the Mountain House.
The abundant rains promote a forest of almost unbelievable richness.
On this walk you will see this moss-laden mountain forest at
its best as you walk across the deeply dissected flanks of the
Park's youngest volcano. Before crossing the road about
half way on the walk, take time and return about 100 metres,
stand quietly and soak in the incredible moss draped fuchsias.
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ENCHANTED
WALK: Round
trip of about 2 to 3 hours. Best to leave the Mountain
House and walk up the road to the Plateau, enter the Round the
Mountain track on the south side of the Plateau and after 5
minutes turn down the Enchanted Walk: The walk drops about 300
metres with spectacular views of the mountain terrain below,
East Taranaki middle distance and on a clear day Tongariro mountains
on the horizon. This walk provides an excellent opportunity
to observe how with altitude, the sub alpine scrub gradually
changes into forest. If you have two cars, drive to the
plateau, using the second car to pick up the first after the
walk |
| CURTIS
FALLS:
About three hours return, this track crosses over countless
streams and rivers radiating from the mountain's drenched
cone and is a walk considered hard with knife-edged ridges and
deep gorges. This walk goes across the grain of this
rugged land and descends into the Manganui forge where the two
Curtis Falls plunge over ancient lava flows. The second
fall is reached by climbing up a rock face on the south (left)
side of the first then continuing along easy ground for 200
metres. |
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MANGANUI
GORGE: Drive
to the Plateau, walk through the gate then up the emergency
access road toward the ski field. At the flying fox, spectacular
vies of the Manganui Gorge and the main peak is gained after
only 15 to 20 minutes from your car. one may then proceed
around the gorge but take notice of the warning signs.
Once at the ski-field, one can walk northwards on the Round
the Mountain track for views of North Taranaki and sea coast.
Not recommended for the inexperienced during winter and whatever
the season, be conscious of weather changes. |
| DAWSON
FALLS: The
trip from the Mountain House to Dawson Falls and return is always
a popular family tramp of about four hours. The
recommended route is from just below the Mountain House along
the Waingongoro Track to the Dawson Falls area, up to Wilkies
Pools, head back on the upper Round the Mountain track, down
the Enchanted Walk and back to the Mountain House. Allow
more time if having lunch at Dawson Falls. |
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| TAHURANGI
AND BACK: A
hard but pleasant walk for the reasonably fit taking four to
five hours crossing rugged country after leaving north of the
Mountain House on the Curtis Falls track (see Curtis Track),
then along the Maketawa track to the Maketawa Hut, up to Tahurangi
Lodge, turn south along the round the Mountain track to the
Maunganui ski-field, down the access road to the Plateau, then
back to the Mountain House via Pembroke Road. Extreme
caution during inclimate weather and not recommended during
winter or wet weather for the inexperienced due to the difficult
river crossings and flooding caused by a quick change in the
weather. |
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