Karangahake Loop: Dickey’s Flat - Dubbo 96 - Crown Track

There were a few campers braving the late autumn chill when we pulled into the Dickey’s Flat campground. Although I’ve never stayed there, it always seemed like a popular spot all year round. We started and finished our Karangahake Loop from the campground to add extra kilometres to our day and make the four hour return drive worthwhile. The loop was an 11km return trip, linking six walking tracks and took us just over four hours to return. There are tunnel sections along the tracks (the longest is around 200m) and a torch is recommended.

From the campground, we walked along the Crown Track until the Dubbo 96 junction. Dubbo 96 is a regenerating native forest that’s well marked and easy to follow. It climbs up to 280m in 2km, with the track pretty steady underfoot. There’s one easy stream crossing, but as long as there hasn’t been a lot of rain, you should be able to keep your socks dry rock hopping.

Three day hike in the Waioeka: Moanui - Koranga Forks - Tawa Loop

When you’re a townie like me, hiking in the backcountry always means driving a few hours. Usually down a gravel road with potholes, and the odd tree blocking the road. Moanui Road in the Waioeka Conservation Area had two out of three, luckily for me, it wasn’t a fallen tree because I don’t own a chainsaw yet. The carpark and start of the Moanui-Koranga Forks-Tawa Loop is about a 40 minute drive from Waioeka Gorge Road and then Te Wera Road turn-off. You can get through the gravel road on a 2WD drive, but the potholes can be pretty unforgiving to a low-riding bumper.

I started my walk around 11am - fortunately it was overcast with a lovely breeze so I didn’t have to suffer the midday heat. The Moanui Track starts off on farmland as it follows the Koranga River. The bush sections are well graded and marked (orange triangles), while the open farmland had large, yellow wooden posts. Some sections narrowed down to double my boot width with steep drop offs, but as long as you watch your step, it’s fairly easy to get through. These are working farms, so keep your distance from livestock and leave gates as you find them (or follow instructions on signs).

A rainy day hike on the Tarawera Trail

Grey skies greeted us at Te Wairoa carpark. I knew we were in for a wet afternoon, but I was hopeful we would be closer to Hot Water Beach by then, and even planned a quick soak before catching the water taxi at 3pm. I’ve walked the Tarawera Trail twice before (from both directions) and was pretty confident with my five hour walking estimate. Unfortunately, there have been a couple of major storms since I last hiked the Tarawera Trail, and the large windfalls and overgrown sections did slow us down. I was still pretty close - it took us 5.5 hours and made it to Hot Water Beach with just three minutes to spare!

Even though it’s called the ‘Tarawera Trail’, I reckon it’s still a well marked track and beginners shouldn’t have too much trouble. When you leave the carpark, the trail will begin to narrow as it climbs up towards Te Wairoa viewpoint. There was a lot of grass and ferns growing over the track, which slowed me down a lot. Being just five feet fall, we had a good laugh as I bush bashed my way through, and the tall fella cruised through it. Is it even hiking in the backcountry without a bit of bush bashing?

Pudding Basin Falls and Wednesday Falls

Walk in from the Ngamarama Track at the end of Whakamarama Road - look out for the DoC track sign to the right of the main car park. It's tucked away in the corner of the grassy area with the wooden picnic tables. There’s another entrance about 50m away, but there’s only room for one car there, so you're better off walking in from the main car park (it’s on your right as you are driving towards the car park). I actually walked in from the tiny car park as I didn’t see the sign the first time - this part of the track was narrow with long grass and gorse, but it eventually meets up with the main track after five minutes.

The forest section is a lovely, gentle downhill on a well-formed track. I reckon this was the last time my socks were dry. Here's the thing about hiking in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest - you don't have to love walking in mud, you just have to be ok with it. Tall gaiters also come in handy in the tall grass on the way down to the waterfalls and the stream crossings. You will come across remnants of the old tramlines - even though the track itself isn’t too challenging as a hike, think about trying to transport giant milled Kauri back in the day. A lot of water pools between the tramlines, keeping the track wet and muddy for most of the year.

A winter roadie to Lake Rotopounamu and Waihāhā Hut

The first time I heard about Lake Rotopounamu was before my workmate went on maternity leave (she just came back to work a few months ago after a year off). I’ve driven past it a couple of times on my way to hikes in the Tongariro National Park, and I’m stoked that I tagged it onto my hike to Waihāhā Hut in the Pureora Forest.

Parking for Lake Rotopounamu is on Te Pononga Saddle Road (SH 47), about a 10 minute drive from Tūrangi. Look for the DoC sign across the road.

Lake Rotopounamu is said to be the heart centre of New Zealand, and I get it, listening to the abundant birdsong and walking amongst giants, time slows down. I’ve felt that in forests before, then again I love forests for that reason. What got me were the moments when the lake suddenly came into view. It takes you a few seconds to realise that the world isn’t upside down, but that the skies are so beautifully reflected on the water.

The track is family-friendly - the loop is well marked and steady underfoot. It’s approx. 5km according to my watch. The track goes uphill in the beginning, but evens out after about 15 minutes. Most of the track is under a canopy, with plenty of lake access along the way. A section of the track is lakeside which was a nice break to walk in the sunshine before heading back into the forest. The loop took me around 1.5 hours, with plenty of time to enjoy the birdsong and take lots of photos.

Te Rereatukahia Hut: Sciatica, climbing over tree falls and chasing sunsets

Sciatica for a hiking enthusiast is a b*tch, it really is. It had been a frustrating month of shooting pains and even struggling to put my shoes on, while waiting patiently for the tracks to reopen after the damage from Cyclone Gabrielle. The mountains were calling, but my body kept telling me to put my hiking plans on hold. Te Rereatukahia Hut was one of the last two huts in the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park I had yet to visit, Kauritatahi Hut being the other. I figured the undulating Kaimai Range was as good a test as any to see if my sciatica would let me plan any more overnighters over winter.

I have walked the Hot Springs Road part of the Tuahu Track when I hiked part of the North-South Track a couple of years ago. Leaving the car park at Wairakau Road, the first hour took me through a gravel road and up a 4WD track surrounded by pine trees. Here’s something I’ve learned from hiking in the Kaimai Mamaku - there’s no such thing as downhill at the start of the hike. Everything goes up, and it’s usually pretty steep, but if the weather’s good, the views are spectacular.