Image: Stefan Marks | Creative Commons
Panekire Bluff to the East.
Lake Waikaremoana: Panekire Bluffs

Located in Te Urewera in the East Coast region

Climb up to Panekire Bluffs for magnificant views of Lake Waikaremoana and the surrounding mountains.

Te Urewera is recognised in New Zealand law as a living person. Te Urewera is spoken for and governed by a board. Care for Te Urewera, including the tracks and facilities, is carried out by Te Uru Taumatua – Ngāi Tūhoe’s operational entity.

This section of the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk provides options for a half day, full day or overnight walk.

The track rises steadily up Panekire Bluff to the first trig (1 hour one way) with magnificent views of the lake and mountains.

It continues less steeply along the ridge with various excellent viewpoints along the way, the grandest being Bald Knob at 1155 metres (3 hours one way). Bald Knob is a few minutes off the main track and isn't signposted, but is the obvious open area that has been burnt in the past.

Two hours further on is Panekire Hut.

The Onepoto Road, 10.3 km south-east of the visitor centre, leads to the start of the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk and the access point to walk to the Panekire Bluffs.

Be sure to carry sufficient water on this trip as there is none available.

Take care when walking near the edge of the cliff.

The forest on the mid-slopes of the Panekire Range is dominated by red beech and the forest floor is often a dry carpet of leaf litter. At higher altitude it merges into silver beech forest, rainfall and moist cloudy weather are more frequent and the trees and forest floor are clothed in many mosses and ferns. The ridge top forest of irregular trees takes on a mysterious “goblin-like” appearance in misty weather.