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.