Pureora Forest - The Timber Trail

500m east of DOC’s Pureora Forest Headquarters is the Ngaherenga campsite, halfway between the two is the entry point to the Timber Trail.

It is recommended you plan to walk between formal accommodation locations on this route — Ngaherenga to Bog Inn Hut (20km), to Piropiro Flats campsite (18km), to #10 campsite (21km), to the campsite at the Ōngarue terminus of the Timber Trail (17km), this will take you four days. Then into Taumarunui the following day (26km). Trail surfacing is good (it is also a cycleway), so faster walkers may like to do big days. However, you should be aiming to stay at these locations.

Commence along the Timber Trail on well-graded track for approx 9km through the Pikiariki Ecological Area to the junction with  The Toi Toi Track.  This takes you up and over the summit of Mt Pureora (a 1hr30 deviation) to take advantage of some of the King Country’s most panoramic views of Lake Taupō, Mt Ruapehu and the Kaimanawa Ranges. 

NOTICE [November 2023]: The Toi Toi track has fallen out of DOC's maintenance schedule, so it is overgrown and difficult to follow at times.  The views are worth it on a good day, but this section can be easily bypassed by remaining on The Timber Trail.  DOC is expected to perform some maintenance and vegetation clearance this summer.  this notice will be removed when this work is done.

Descending from Pureora summit and rejoining the Timber Trail, the route again follows the cycleway to the turn-off for the Bog Inn Hut. Leave the Timber Trail here, and shortly after, a short track will lead to Bog Inn Hut for those wishing to sleep there. When leaving Bog Inn Hut, a short connecting path will put you back onto the Timber Trail, without the need to backtrack.

Heading south, you’ll soon cross the first of the spectacular suspension bridges on this route, and another shortly after. The faint of heart shouldn’t look down.

It’s largely downhill from there to bathrooms at Harrisons Rest Area, then a further 12km to Piropiro Flats campsite. 

Leaving Piropiro Flats, you’ll climb through tawa and tānekaha forest to the 141m Maramataha Bridge, which will take the breath away. Further onwards, you will come to a cleared area known as ‘the terminus’, which was the most northern end of the 1950’s Ellis and Burnand tramline. There are toilets at Mystery Creek and the #11 Camp, and shortly after, you'll be at the #10 Camp, also with toilets.

From #10 Camp, it’s mostly downhill all the way, with the Mangakahukahu Bridge and remarkable Ōngarue Spiral the highlights of the day’s walk.

At Bennett Road, a campsite has been purpose-built for Te Araroa, with plenty of space to camp, a shelter and a toilet in the adjacent carpark. You should look to stay here and then walk the 26km into Taumarunui the following day. There are no appropriate locations to freedom camp en route to Taumarunui.

From Bennett Road, follow the Ngakonui-Ōngarue Road west, which runs onto the Ōngarue Back Road, which is the route towards Taumarunui, some 24km away. Just north of Taumarunui, you’ll reach a roundabout — continue straight onto Golf Road and follow it for 2.5km turning right/south onto Short Street, then left/east into Hākiaha Street (SH4), the main street of Taumarunui — a supermarket, food outlets, bank, pharmacy and more are available on this street.