Oparara Basin walking tracks
Track category
Walking track
Description
'K' Road Track
Distance: 27 km
Officially opened in June 2003, 'K' Road affords walkers and mountain bikers the opportunity to explore approximately 27 km of old logging roads, constructed between the late 1960s and December 1986 when logging in the Oparara area came to an end. The return trip is approximately 27 kilometres long - it is graded as an Easy to Medium track. The K-Road is wide enough for both the keen tramper and the enthusiastic mountain biker, and features areas of cut-over bush, exotic plantations, and fast regenerating native species, with some water features and several stunning views.
Oparara Arch
Time: 40 min return
From the first car park a well-formed track leads up the Oparara riverbank, through beech and podocarp forest and past limestone outcrops. The arch is 219 metres long with sides 79 metres apart and a roof 43 metres above the river that carved the impressive feature.
Moria Gate Arch
Time: 1 hr
Smaller than the Oparara Arch, the Moria Gate Arch is very pretty and should not be missed. It is 19 metres high, 43 metres wide and fully deserving its 'Lord of the Rings' name.
Getting there
An old forestry road provides access for walkers, cavers and other nature lovers to the Oparara Basin. The road branches inland approximately nine kilometres north of Karamea on the road to Kohaihai. It is a further 12 km to the arches car park and another three kilometres to the caves car park.
Plan and prepare
Safety is your responsibility
Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoor Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand's search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details of your trip.