Walk Details
NZ Walking Routes > Waikato > Hamilton > Ruapane Track – Pirongia Forest Park
Ruapane Track – Pirongia Forest Park
- Location
- The Park is near Hamilton city, and has many access points. Some access ways cross private land. Keep to marked tracks and use stiles at fences. To protect the Te Awamutu water supply, access is not encouraged in the Mangawawa catchment. This alternative track to Ruapane Lookout starts at the Waite Rd carpark.
- Description
Pirongia Forest Park is known for its most widely recognised landmark, Mt Pirongia (959 metres). The Park consists of four separate blocks of land, including Mt Karioi, close to Raglan.
There are picnic areas at the end of both Corcoran and Grey Rds and alongside Kaniwhaniwha Stream on Karamu Limeworks Rd.
Walk along the Nikau walk to Kaniwhaniwha Caves then follow the Bell track to the tallest recorded kahikatea tree, a mighty 66.5 metres high.The Kaniwhaniwa Caves are two limestone caves. You can walk through the 20-metre long main cave, except for a short hands-and-knees crawl. The cave is wet underfoot and torches are required. The second smaller cave is tight and narrow.
- Duration
- 1.5 hours
- Amenities
-
- Camping
- Carpark
- Fishing
- Historical
- Huts
- Lookouts
- Picnics
- Plant Life
- Swimming
- Toilets
- Tramping
- Source
- www.doc.govt.nz
- Discussion
- Start a discussion on this walk