Discover the mighty Waikato River where suspension bridges, hydro dams and scenic landscapes invite visitors outdoors. Stroll in bush and forest reserves, through wetlands and areas of natural beauty near the Waitomo Caves. Enjoy fascinating natural rock formations and waterfalls with opportunities to explore quirky New Zealand towns. Enjoy family friendly walks suitable for all fitness levels.
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MIRANDA PUKOROKORO SHOREBIRD WALKS
It is extraordinary, the glittering white crushed shells forming the chenier beach at Miranda. Your feet crunch their way across the shells as you navigate the slightly surreal landscape. It is definitely not a beach for walking. Due to the efforts of the Miranda Shorebird Centre there are a number of short walks with excellent explanatory plaques describing the bird life and history of the area.
During the 19th century NZ Land Wars a gun-boat, The Miranda was instrumental in supporting militia constructing redoubts (military fortifications) from Thames Gulf to the Waikato River.
Look for the information plaque pointing to the buff and the location of the Miranda redoubt (Pukorokoro). The post held 120 troops.
At low tide shorebirds, in their thousands, are foraging on the rich pickings of the exposed tidal beds.
Must-do is a visit to the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre with its excellent gift shop, maps of the area, advice about the best places to visit and kids activity sheets.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY MIRANDA, WAIKATO
- Miranda Hot Pools & Camping Grounds (CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE ❌). The hot pools while in need of a refurbishment are clean and tidy with plenty of space to soak in the blissfully warm mineral water
- Kaiaua – Fish & Chips on the beaches nearby, check out Auckland day road trip to Pohutukawa Coast, travel guide: Best Bits for ideas about what to see and do
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TE AROHA DOMAIN
Treat yourself to a soak in the hot pools or a luxury spa treatment. Energy levels up, start your walk with an exploration of the Domain moving onto your second late morning stroll, with a selection of town walks ranging from 30 minutes to an hour give you enough time to spend the rest of your day indulging in one of New Zealand’s earliest holiday experiences, a day at the spa. Te Aroha spa resort day trip, travel guide, things to see: Best Bits. Locate the free foot bath in the Domain and grab a selfie next to the Victorian cupcake of an Edwardian gazebo. Te Aroha short walks offer views, historic Edwardian architectural gems, coffee shops and the delight of an original spa town. Unmissable Te Aroha.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY TE AROHA
- Think about the challenge of Whakapipi summit walk to the lookout point. A steep climb with the reward of sweeping views of Te Aroha and the Waikato
- Mt Aroha summit day walk continues on past the Whakapipi viewpoint. It is an intermediate / advanced day walk. From the summit there are 360 degree views across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions, and Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngāuruhoe are all visible on a clear day.
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KARANGAHAKE GORGE WALKS
Heritage walks among abandoned gold mining equipment with massive rock crushing batteries slowly rusting in the picturesque Karangahake Gorge Forest Park. The Victoria battery was an enormous beast with 200 stampers beating down extracted rock into slurry for gold extraction. The thump would have echoed through the gorge and beyond. The historic walkway loop is an easy 1 hour return track. Highlights are a wooden rail bridge over the Ohinemuri River and a tunnel. Check Visit Karanganhake Gorge & Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park: Best Bits for details about getting there and things to do.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY KARANGAHAKE GORGE
- Explore Thames and its gold mining legacy from the School of Mines Museum and Gold Mining Centre
- Visit Te Aroha for a relaxing natural geothermal spa
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PUTARURU BLUE SPRINGS TE WAIHOU WALKWAY
Crystal clear torrents of spring water eddy in swirling currents beneath your feet. The boardwalk floats above the action with river grass gently rippling in the water, eels and trout darting from under the boardwalk. It is entrancing watching water movement; the constant sheer volume of 42 cubic metres per minute creates a must-go destination. The walkway follows alongside the upper Waihous tributary streams. The walk is part of Putaruru Blue Springs & Te Waihou walkway North Island geothermal explorer road trip and is rated one of the Best Family Friendly Walks in the North Island.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY PUTARURU BLUE SPRINGS
- Check out the thread of towns on the Waikato section of State Highway one from Cambridge through to Tirau with its quirky corrugated sculptures.
- Putaruru is close to Lake Arapuni and its campgrounds on the Waikato River. The lake is a trout fishing hot spot.
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JIM BARNETT RESERVE
Perfect for families and friends with canopy shelter, toilets, picnic tables and excellent signage. You will discover the oldest documented 1000 year old totara surrounded by mature trees from tawa, rewarewa and tree ferns. The extensive plant identification makes the 13 trails in the reserve interesting as you stop to read about the tree, its historic uses and favoured growing conditions. All tracks are sign posted with track length and if there are any steps. Tracks are shared with the Waikato River Trails, please be aware of cyclists on the tracks and share with care. Jim Barnett Reserve is co-managed by a committee with representatives from Forest and Bird, Putāruru Rotary, Putāruru Walking Group, the South Waikato District Council and the Waotu community.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY JIM BARNETT RESERVE
- Putaruru Blue Springs is a must-go destination
- Waikato River hydro dam exploration, check out the Waikato River Trail information for inspiration
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WAIREINGA BRIDAL VEIL WATERFALL
One of New Zealand’s unmissable falls. The sheer single waterfall drop of 55 metres is a dazzling aerial display of a perfect spray arching into a deep pool. The easy short walk is easily accessible for all fitness levels to the upper viewpoint. Continuing further there are a series of steps to the bottom viewpoint and pool. Bridal Veil falls are a popular photo location.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY WAIREINGA BRIDAL VEIL FALLS
- Raglan with its cafes, surf beaches and art galleries is an ideal base for exploring the area
- Find a ‘hidden’ hot water beach at Kawhai on a Raglan day trips to Kawhia and Aotea Harbours inland route
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HAKARIMATA SCENIC RESERVE, WAIKATO
Discover an old railway line.
Surviving kauri and native giants inhabit the reserve only 10 km from Hamilton. Hakarimata Rail Trail is a family walking and cycling track following the route of the former Ngaruawahia/Glen Massey railway to attractive stream cascades. The former railway, until 1950’s transported coal to Glen Massey.Walking from the car park to the first bridge you pass a wetland restoration site which is part of Perry Quarry. The flat walk is suitable for buggies and all fitness levels. The walk terminates at Firewood Creek picnic area. You can continue onwards climbing steps (over 600) as part of the southern section of the Hakarimata Walkway. The 3.5 km walkway section is a moderate grade on well maintained tracks with several bridged stream crossings and emcompasses a mature native forest. You climb to the Hakarimata Summit (374 metres) and enjoy good views of the summit tower out towards the coast, across the Waikato Basin and down to Ruapehu.
HAKARIMATA WALK
Walk the length of the Hakarimata Range and enjoy excellent views towards the coast and across the Waikato Basin
Advanced hiking trail – 12 km
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LAKE HAKANOA
Wetlands, well maintained flat shared walking trail starting at the Huntly Domain. There are themed exotic plantings. The lake has a picturesque jetty, playgrounds, picnic areas and the Lake Hakanoa circuit walk is a popular and easy walk. The circuit around the lake takes you through many specially themed gardens and wetland areas. The lake also has jetties, playgrounds, picnic areas and opportunities for boating. The lake walkway is split into thirteen zones including a native tree reserve, Japanese Garden, Global Garden, Wildlife Gardens, Palm Beach, Contemporary Maori Garden, Green Cathedral, Ponga Grove and wetlands.
The area is popular with wedding photographers. wetlands and more, making for great picnic spots along the way.
Trails – 3.6 km in length.
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LAKE PUKETIRINI – HUNTLY, WAIKATO
Repurposed coal pit is now a Waikato local government managed lake near Huntly.
a newly formed lake that has been developed from a disused coal-mined pit, and is now part of Puketirini, a Waikato District Council owned park. Lake Puketirini is available for activities such as kayaking, waka ama, boating, and water-skiing. Walking and cycling around the lake are also popular recreational activities. This lake has very good water quality. Recreational boating – access key $100.00 per season (October-May) – $21.00 refundable on return of key … source Rivers and lakes (Waikato).
WHAT TO DO NEARBY HUNTLY
- Visit Hampton Downs for the thrill of a racing track
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MANGAOTAKI WALK – FAMILY FRIENDLY KIDS WALK
PIOPIO (WAITOMO DISTRICT) Undoubtedly famous for the world class underground Waitomo Caves is worth exploring further.
Approximately 98 km from Hamilton, Piopio has a number of things to do. Discover a fantasy walk good enough for Lord of the Rings film setting. The gentle loop walking track is an 800m fantasy walk surrounded by massive boulders littering the landscape. Boulders are covered in moss and gnarled kahikatea trees artly grow up and around the boulders. The shaded walk is another imaginative landscape perfect for kids as The Mangaotaki River is ideal for the novice fly fisherman, with no shortage of rainbow trout, with access gained via the Mangaotaki Scenic Reserve. Make sure you have the required license to fish.
- Length: 800m
- Duration: ½ hour
- Grade: Easy
The Mangaotaki Valley was the filming location for Trollshaw Forest in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Piopio, Waitomo district top 7 best things to do and what to see
Recognisable as the film location in The Hobbit trilogy, Piopio sits between the iconic Waitomo Caves and Taranaki’s surf coast. Piopio is close to Waitomo Caves as well as offers a base for exploring Waitomo’s wild west coast.
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MANGAPOHUE NATURAL BRIDGE
Mangapohue Natural Bridge has spectacular sights. The 17 metre-high limestone arch which spans Mangapohue Stream is the remnants of an ancient cave system.
SHORT EASY WALK FOR KIDS
The walk to the arches is through a fern filled gorge with mosses coated with dew.
Hint
Grab a coat as it can be chilly even in summer.
Beyond the elevated boardwalk the trail opens out into rolling hills and loops back with large rock forms dotted around the landscape. Look closely for fossilised enormous oysters and imagine the land under the sea.
Check out Waikato Kiwi Towns for more inspiration what to do and where to go nearby Mangapohue Natural Bridge:
Interested in extraordinary geology, New Zealand rock stars, check out Geology, rocks, NZ fantastic natural sculptural landscapes for places to pop onto your bucket list.
For walking enthusiasts explore Visit Karangahake Gorge & Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park
An area quietly slumbering in the valleys of the Coromandel. It is all too easy to keep on driving through the gorge on your way to the Coromandel hot spots of Hot Water Beach, Whitianga and Coromandel township.
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TRAVEL PACK INFORMATION
WAIKATO PEAT LAKES – SURVIVAL ISSUES
LAKE KAINUI & LAKE ROTOKAURI
Lake Kainui and Lake Rotokauri are peat lakes that provide recreational opportunities and also have important ecological values. The lakes are of the Waipā peat lake complex. The surrounding catchment is a combination of residential, industrial and pastoral land use. A sediment trap has been placed on the lake’s main inflow to reduce sediment entering the lake. The lake has been fenced to exclude stock and a riparian margin established around the lake to separate farming activities and the lake. Cyanobacterial samples are also taken during swimming season. The lakes are suffering from pastoral runoff and have had eutrophic status in the 1990’s. The story continues … Lake Rotokauri.
PUBLIC TOILETS IN THE WAIKATO
Check for an up to date list of locations.
RESERVES AND BOND FORM – WAIKATO
Reserves CHECK HERE FOR FORM
BEST BITS TRAVEL GUIDE
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