Image: Sharlene Laskey | ©
View from Maunga Kākaramea summit.
Te Tihi o Ruru (Summit) Track

Located in Maunga Kākaramea, Waiotapu and Te Kopia Scenic Reserves in the Bay of Plenty region

Hike or bike to the summit of Maunga Kākaramea for 360-degree views.

From the carpark, follow the Crater Lake Walk for 15 minutes to a lookout over a crater lake.

From the lookout, the track climbs through regenerating native vegetation and past bare, coloured and steaming ridges.

The track reaches a road which leads to the summit. Before the summit, there is a viewing area above a crater.

From the summit you can see:

  • Mt Tarawera; Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana and Rerewhakaaitu to the north
  • The Paeroa Range to the west
  • The Urewera Ranges and Kaimanawa Forest to the east
  • Mt Tauhara, Lake Taupō and the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park to the south.

Maunga Kākāramea is particularly significant to the local iwi Ngāti Tahu/Ngāti Whaoa. Stay on the formed tracks to respect this place and protect rare geothermal plants.

Mountain biking

  • Open to uphill mountain biking only. Descend via Te Ranga Trail.
  • This is a sustained, steep and technical climb.
  • Te Tihi o Ruru Track is part of the Maunga Kākaramea mountain bike loop.
  • Do not ride to the summit unless you have the skills to descend the Advanced Grade 4 Te Ranga Trail.

This is a shared-use track. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.

Maunga Kākaramea (previously known as Rainbow Mountain) lies 26 km south-east of Rotorua, beside SH 5 (the Rotorua-Taupo highway). From Rotorua, the carpark is just past the SH38 turnoff (the Murupara/ Waikaremoana highway) on the left-hand side of the road.

View the car park on google maps.

Cyclists can reach Maunga Kākaramea by following part of Te Ara Ahi, a 66 km cycle trail that includes Maunga Kākaramea Scenic Reserve.
  • Cliffs and high drop-offs on this track
  • Fragile and dangerous geothermal landscape
  • Stay on the track and behind barriers
  • Supervise children
  • This is an advanced track and is steep, rough and eroded in places. The clay surface becomes very slippery in wet weather.
  • The track is shared by walkers and uphill mountain bikers
  • Watch for vehicles on the summit road

Maunga Kākaramea is home to rare and threatened geothermal plants.

Plants growing here have needed to adapt to the high temperatures, acidic soil and toxic gases. They have developed special characteristics to survive, like shallow roots, needle-like leaves and slow growth. Some mosses, liverworts and lichens can live in temperatures as hot as 70°C.

The geothermal activity on Maunga Kākaramea has cooled over the last 100 years. This has reduced the soil temperature and so means the forests are coming back.

Maunga Kākaramea means ‘mountain of coloured earth'. You can see these colours in the cliffs.