Mangorewa Loop Track

Do NOT attempt this if there has been any reasonable rain in days beforehand.

The track entrance is 500m north of the car park on the left. Carefully cross the road, walking north (against the traffic, on narrow berm) and cross the second bridge, 100 m up the hill, carefully cross the road again to find the track entrance immediately behind the sign for the Mangorewa Ecological area.

The first section up the Ohaupara stream is not well marked, if dry just head up creek bed, you will see markers on both banks from time to time. At about 1km mark there is fork in stream bed, head into left branch and you will see track head up bank on your right. Steep climb to ridge then great track through great old Podocarp forest- Beech, Rimu, Miro, Kahikatea & Kauri.

At about 2.5km mark there is another climb to next plateau, here the track gets more technical, roots, constantly zig zagging around trees & obstacles, but well-marked. You then start descending towards the Mangorewa Stream. The last third of the track is most likely something you have never done before. It's bedrock stream bed from 6-15m wide with gentle gradient (steep bush clad banks). The issue/challenge is most of it (even in driest season) is treacherously slippery, like ice. One minute you're making good time, then you’re on your arse, and it could hurt you. Take care, poles will help some, but even then, there’s nothing for them to dig into, so just slip across top bedrock. The other thing to look out for are deep pot holes in stream bed.

Leave the river bed via the right bank just before the road bridge. A small track exits the stream to the car park. Regardless of how dry it is you will have wet feet as there are section you will have to wade through. This CANNOT not be done after heavy weather as river bed will be a torrent of water. You will either enjoy the challenge of this trail, or hate it because it gets the better of you.