Image: Stefan Marks | Creative Commons
Mt Taranaki.
Egmont National Park

Located in the Taranaki region

Egmont National Park can be found on the western coast of New Zealand's North Island. Here the volcano Taranaki rules supreme.

Visit Dawson Falls area, North Egmont area or East Egmont area.

Discover heritage sites: Dawson Falls power station and The Camphouse.

There are visitor centres at both North Egmont and Dawson Falls. View displays and watch audio visuals at both.

Egmont is one of the most accessible of New Zealand's national parks. It can be found on the western coast of the North Island. The nearest towns are New Plymouth, Inglewood, Stratford and Opunake.

There are three road entry points to the park:

  • Manaia Road to Dawson Falls
  • Egmont Road to North Egmont
  • Pembroke Road to Stratford Plateau.

No pets

No pets are allowed in this park. This includes dogs, cats, rabbits, parrots and all other pets. 

Mt Taranaki - dust plumes

In summer months wind and dry conditions can cause dust plumes to rise from the western slopes of Mt Taranaki. These are often confused with smoke plumes.

If you see smoke-like plumes in the vicinity of the headwaters of the Oaonui Stream, high up the Stony River or Pyramid Stream area of the mountain it is more likely to be dust.

All fires should be reported by ringing 111.

Other accommodation

Two private tourist lodges offer accommodation inside the park.

There are also three club lodges on the mountain that can be used by making prior arrangements with the clubs:Tahurangi Lodge (Taranaki Alpine Club), Kapuni Lodge (Mount Egmont Alpine Club), Stratford Mountain Club.

Weather

Mt Taranaki has changeable and unpredictable weather. Check the forecast and carry enough clothing and equipment to ensure you are able to cope with any type of weather, at any time of the year. The rivers and tributaries are not always bridged and some of these can flood at any time of the year.

Egmont National Park weather forecast – NIWA website

All drone use must be authorised by DOC

You must have a permit to fly a drone on public conservation land.

Visit our Drone use on conservation land page for more information.

Egmont National Park is a mountainous area that encompasses three volcanic cones. It contains a diverse range of vegetation that has developed in an environment of frequent volcanic activity. As the only large forest tract within the Egmont Ecological District, the park provides the district’s only habitat for many bird species. Read about nature in Egmont National Park.

Taranaki is linked by legend to the mountains of the central North Island. It is said that Taranaki carved out the bed of the Whanganui River on a tragic flight from its ancestral home to the east. Today Taranaki is still venerated and its summit is sacred to the tangata whenua of the area.

The land was first formally protected in 1881 when its slopes (within a 9.6 kilometre radius of the summit) were made a forest reserve. Development of huts, tracks and roads followed. Gradually more land was added to the reserve and in 1900 it was made a national park, the second in New Zealand after its not too distant neighbour, Tongariro. It has been a popular tourist destination ever since.

Ambury Monument /Ambury Bluff

Ambury Monument and Ambury Bluffs were named after Arthur Hamilton Ambury. He gave his life in a heroic attempt to save W E Gourlay who slipped on the ice on 3 June 1918. Both men died in the fall over the bluff.