Starting on The Timber Trail from the Tui Road carpark, this alternative route to the summit of Mount Pureora heads up the northwest side of the mountain. It's 1.8 km from the junction with The Timber Trail.

Lowland podocarp trees of totara, rimu and kahikatea give way to broadleaf dominated forest with conifers such as Hall's totara, culminating in open views of Lake Taupo, Mount Taranaki and the Manaku ranges at the summit.

Pureora is east of Te Kuiti, and west of Taupo and Rotorua. At Barryville, turn off SH30 onto Barryville Road and follow this to Pureora. At Pureora, turn into Link Road, then Cabbage Tree Road to reach the Tui Road carpark.

Note that Toitoi Road and the Toitoi Road carpark is now on private land, and the old entrance and bottom 1 km of track is no longer maintained. Enter the track from Tui Road carpark.

There is no petrol outlet at Pureora - the nearest facilities are at Benneydale or at Mangakino.

Check the Mount Pureora weather forecast – NIWA website.