Pehitawa Track

Pehitawa Track - 17km

From Waitomo Village, take the Hotel Access Road past the Tavern and School. Before the cattle stop, climb the stile on the left-hand side and follow the track completed in 2020 along a section of  the Waipa Faultline, which runs north south through the district. Here Limestone is uplifted on the western side. 

Cross Fullerton Road, then a stile, and follow the orange markers SE across open farmland, then up through a small gate and climb a hand-formed track. You'll pass some enormous boulders - these are thought to have come from the Mangakino explosion - some 60km away!

Once up and over the ridge, the track descends steeply through bush — this is very slippery when wet, so take care — and exits onto more farmland where you'll again follow markers SE along the fence line, climbing again through bush and onto a ridge. Climb through regenerating bush and the track takes a 90-degree turn towards the west, running through what Te Araroa veterans will remember (fondly?) as the infamous "Te Kuiti Tunnel of Gorse", now nicely opened up and easily passable.

Exiting the bush, head over a stile and follow the marked fence to the next stile; then continue along the fence line — now on the other side of it — and drop down to a farm race (giving way to any animals found on it). This is the farm of John Were. Look for a stile on the NE (left-hand) side after crossing a farm bridge over a stream and then head for a suspension bridge over the Mangapu River.

Once over the suspension bridge, the track heads through Pehitawa Forest  (Queen Elizabeth II Trust-covenanted land and one of the finest remaining stands of Kahikatea trees). Follow markers up a ridgeline to a fence near the top of the hill and over a stile to Oparure Rd.

Cross over the stile on the southern side of Oparure Rd onto Wicklow Farm.  Follow markers through several paddocks and over stiles for roughly a kilometre to reach a farm track.  Follow this farm track for 2km to reach Gadsby Road.  Go about 50m down Gadsby Rd, to then turn right up the driveway for 153 Gadsby Road (you'll see a Te Araroa marker).  The trail follows the flank of Pehitawa Mast Hill (264 metres), and descends through to the northern end of Brook Park. There are many trails in this council owned reserve, but try to follow Te Araroa markers down to Bosco Cafe on SH 3.  Opposite the cafe, there is now a riverside path all the way to the south end of Te Kuiti with multiple entry points through town.

The Brook Park route may be closed for lambing between 1st July and 30th August. Leave the track at km 885.5 and exit via Gadsby Road to SH 3. Check Alerts and Trail Status for details.

Note two fine statues – a tribute to Sir Colin Meads (one of NZ's finest rugby players) adjacent to the railway station, and the shearing statue at the south end of Rora St.

West of the Statue Te Tokanganui a noho can be seen, this historic marae was built in 1873 under the director of the Maori leader and prophet Te Kooti.