The Tarawera Trail

Starting at the DoC car park, you follow the Tarawera Trail out to Hot Water Beach.

After leaving the car park, you soon begin descending to lake level alongside Katukutuku Bay. Approx 5km into the trail you reach Hawaiki Bay, with lake access and a picnic area with toilet facilities.

The track continues with intermittent climbs, through lakeside bushland into Te Hinau Bay, passing over Twin Streams cold springs.

After about 11km you pass through Wairua Bay. Here, you continue in the direction you are travelling to climb up and out of the bay to reach the Rotomahana lookout point. From here, descend into Te Rata Bay to enjoy a soak at Hot Water Beach, but be careful - localised patches of sand are very hot.

Heads up, the hot water is up at the north-western end of Te Rata Bay, so when you first hit the beach from the trail, continue up (on your left), and you'll soon reach the DoC campsite and hot water.

Then, simply turn around and retrace your steps back to the car, finishing with a solid climb to the car park at the end.

This can be done as a one-way trip, by organising a boat ride to or from Hot Water Beach.

Tip: When passing through Wairua Bay, look for a small side track following the stream towards the lake. Heading down here you'll find an epic natural hot pool in the stream, and there is sometimes rainwater in the tank at Wairua Hut.