Te Kūiti to Pureora

Mangaokewa River Track - 15km / 5-6 hours

The Mangaokewa River Track is closed every year from 1 August to 31 October for lambing. 
Navigate safely around a road alternative — or skip directly ahead to the Timber Trail (Pureora Forest). 
Please do not attempt to walk this route when it is closed.

In the Mangaokewa Reserve, this track follows the Mangaokewa River throughout. 

From the north end, there are tracks on both sides of the river between km 886.5 and km 889.1. Te Araroa walkers should cross to the western side and reach the Waiteti Viaduct carpark via the new bridge. There may still be the remains of a large slip on the western track. Follow the Mangaokewa River Track past a second bridge at km 889.1

Just after the bridge at km 889.1, you will find a picnic table and area to camp if needed.  Caution: The land above the track just after this from km 889.5 to km 892 is managed by NZ Carbon Farming.  There is ongoing pest control work in this property, often with the use of firearms at night.  For your own safety, please DO NOT camp anywhere in this section and DO NOT deviate from the trail.

Update for northbound walkers July 2023: With the re-opening of the bridge at km 886.5 you can continue on the west (true left) bank or cross to the eastern (true right) bank at km 889.1. If you continue on the left bank past the bridge at km 889.1 you may encounter the remains of a large slip.

The first 2.5km of the bush is groomed and nearly predator-free thanks to the Mangaokewa Reserve Trust, which was allowed to release native birds in the area. You will then pass a huge kahikatea tree, and through the riverside bush may glimpse stalactites encrusting the far edge of the limestone gorge. The trail then crosses a fence which was put in to keep sheep out of the reserve.

Just beyond here, you’ll see one of the best sights of the walk, primaeval forest on the far side of the river — the unfarmed side. The track stays on farmland, passes an abandoned long-drop toilet, slides through tōtara groves and has some great picnic spots on the way through. There are one or two steep slopes you may need to inch down slowly, so please take care in this area, particularly when wet underfoot. It enters the shade of pine and eucalyptus forest near the southern end, then follows a farm track that takes you through to Mangaokewa North Road (Note: there'll be a gate on a grass median track which evolves into a road).

• Note: If you are wanting to be picked up here, you'll need to have pre-organised transport out — it's a long way from anywhere and there is usually no traffic.

Continue southeast on Mangaokewa Road and follow it in an easterly direction for approx 8.5km. It'll turn northwards for 2km, then turn easterly again (at the intersection with Waipā Valley Road on the west side). Keep following it (it starts to turn south) for another 12km to meet up with SH30. Turn left (east) onto SH30 and walk for 8km. Turn off the highway onto Maraeroa Road on the south side. After 1.5km, take the road leading east-north-east for another 2km until reaching DOC's Pureora Forest Park Headquarters.