Walk Details

NZ Walking Routes > Taranaki > Pouakai Circuit

Pouakai Circuit

Location

Access Points:

Kaiauai car park
Access is via the Kaiauai Track leaving the carpark area, 2 km below the visitor centre on Egmont Road.

Mangorei Road
Access is from the car park at the top of Mangorei Road, off SH3, south of New Plymouth.

Dover Track
Access is from Carrington Road opposite Dover Road.

Ahukawakawa Track
Access is via the Ahukawakawa Track across the swamp from Holly Hut on the Around the Mountain Circuit.

Description

The Pouakai Circuit is an awe-inspiring chapter in the New Zealand landscape and geology story. The turmoil of centuries of volcanic activity is apparent as soon as you cross the active erosion scar of the Boomerang slip and pass beneath the towering columns of the Dieffenbach cliffs.

The circuit traverses lowland rain forest, sub-alpine and alpine vegetation zones, and crosses the unique Ahukawakawa wetland and the headwaters of the Stony (Hangatahua) River.

North Egmont Visitor Centre to Holly Hut (3 hrs)
From the Camp house, the well formed track steadily climbs through montane forest and sub-alpine scrub. Some excellent scenic views of the Ahukawakawa wetland and the upper slopes of Mt Taranaki are available as the track gradually descends to Holly Hut.

Holly Hut to Pouakai Hut (2 – 3 hrs)
The Ahukawakawa track crosses an extensive wetland. It then crosses the Stony River, ascends the ridge, through sub-alpine and mountain cedar to join with the Pouakai and Mangorei track junction and a short descent to Pouakai Hut.

Pouaki Hut to North Egmont Visitor Centre (4.5 hrs)
From Pouakiai Hut, the Pouakai track traverses open tussock lands and sub-alpine forest to the top of Henry Peak. The track then descends into mixed kamahi forest to the Kaiauai shelter, which can be used to shelter from the elements if the Kaiauai stream is flooded and can't be crossed. After crossing the stream, the track traverses some deep gullies before the swingbridge over the Waiwhakaiho River. You can then take the shorter track to Kaiauai car park on Egmont Road or follow the Ram Track up to the North Egmont Visitor Centre.

Visit the below website for more detailed information on this tramp

Distance

25.0 km

Level

Hard

Amenities

• Carpark
• Historical
• Huts
• Lookouts
• Plant Life
• Tramping

Source

www.doc.govt.nz

Discussion

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