Wakarara Road End tramping tracks
Track category
Tramping track
Description
Views from Sparrowhawk Bivouac
Colenso Spur to the Main Range
Time: 4 - 5 hr from road end
This track provides good access to the Ruahine main range. From the road end there is a 1.5 hour walk up the river to the Colenso Spur which commences at a main stream confluence.
A stone memorial cairn is located here for the missionary William Colenso, who frequently used this old Maori route over the Ruahine Range. While he explored new ways across the range, he always used the route over Te-Atua-o-Mahuru (spirit of spring) for one leg of each journey.
"Hour after hour passed in arduous toil before we gained the top; the primeval forest being so filled with decaying trees and prostrate limbs and tangled shrubs and herbage, that we would scarcely get through it."
On reaching the summit he was always overwhelmed by the sweeping sub-alpine filled gardens.
The track climbs steeply from the river and moves along a steep rock face before entering beech forest and emerging onto the open tops. There are no cairns or poles for guidance to the tops. Time given is from road end.
Parks Peak Hut track
Time: 4 - 5 hr
The track to Park's Peak hut is a long arduous ridge track which gives access to various parts of the north and central Ruahine Range. There are extensive views along the way and in the stunted beech forest black and white breasted tomtits and flocks of whiteheads can be seen.
There are opportunities for loop trips by connecting to tracks to the Sentry Box and Upper Makaroro Huts, the Crown Ridge track to Masters Shelter and also the main range via the private Aranga Hut.
Poutaki Hut track
Time: 2 - 3 hr
Poutaki Hut is located in the middle of the Wakarara Range. Access is via Wakarara and Leatherwood Roads, followed by a track that leads to the top of the Wakarara Range before descending to the hut.
Sparrowhawk Bivouac track
Time: 3 - 4 hr from road end
The track starts at the junction of Gold Creek, 1 hour up the river from the road end. There is a steep rocky ridge at the beginning of the track. The track then passes through beech forest up the Sparrowhawk Spur before reaching sub alpine shrublands. The bivouac sits in a sheltered basin below Maropea Peak (1481m). The time given to the bivvy is from the road end.
Walks and routes in the area
Getting there
Wakarara Road is approximately 86 km from Napier. Follow State Highway 50 for 66 km and turn right into Wakarara Road. The tramping tracks are accessed from the road end.
Plan and prepare
Caution: All tracks from this road end require a crossing of the Makaroro River or a walk up the riverbed. It is dangerous to attempt to cross the river when the water level is higher than normal.
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