Waikato: Short Hikes and Walks
With many of the popular hiking tracks in the Auckland area closed or under restriction due to Kauri Die Back Disease, the alternative tracks don’t appear to be widely know or advertised.
Below is a list of the tracks we know, slightly further south, easy to make up a couple of hours to halve a day(*1)
Tracks
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Mt William track at Mangatawhiri, 5-8km Return. Recommend walking shoes or boots as there can be plenty of mud. The track closes 1 August to 1 October yearly as access is through a farm.
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Karangahake Gorge there are several great short tracks here, the “windows walk” is a must if its open. Distance: 2-7 km, any footwear is fine.
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Wairere Falls, Just south of Te Aroha, this is a great short hike of 5 km to the top and bottom of a water fall through bush.
- Waiorongomai Valley Just south of Te Aroha, full of gold mining history and really and a network of tracks, Distance 4 – 5km+ depending on what ones you walk. Recommend doing the inclines, (chuckle)recommend hiking shoes or boots.
Keep an eye on this post, as I will be updating the tracks over time. Please do let me know if I have missed any tracks you know, they might be new to me too.
(*1) Estimating just how long a hike will take unknown individuals is i find just about as difficult as telling a stranger how hard a track will be for them. Please take times as a guide for beginners.
WSHW