I think the Pouakai Crossing is one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets, and so underrated!
Maybe it’s because Taranaki sits out of the way on the West Coast of the North Island and is a destination rather than somewhere you can just ‘pass through’, so people really need to have a reason to come here. Well look no further avid hikers, because this day hike is nothing short of spectacular. There is a natural comparison between the Tongariro Crossing and the Pouakai Crossing, being similar distances and both being on mountainous terrain, but I think that is where the similarities end. While Tongariro is rugged and other wordly with rocky and dessert like terrain, Mt Taranaki is lush & green with a varied landscape - and it’s much less crowded. We actually didn’t see another soul for the first 3hrs.
It has been a big goal of mine to complete this walk, and in early April my son and I decided it was time. Being lucky enough to live not far from the mountain, we were able to stalk the weather and head up on a day that looked like it was going to be clear. There are no guarantees on the mountain, but we hit the jackpot with the weather. It was a magic, beautiful clear sky day. Before I dive into telling you all about it, I also have an instagram highlight reel if you’re keen to check that out, look me up @mybalanceproject.
The Crossing is officially 19kms one way (although my Apple Watch put it at 21kms), starting from the North Egmont Visitors Centre, and ending at the top of Mangorei Road. You can walk it in reverse, but there is less uphill if you start from the Visitors centre.
The crossing starts from just above the visitors centre, look for the Veronica Loop Track. The walk is made up of three main sections: Visitors Centre to Holly Hut (3-4hrs), Holly Hut to Pouakai Hut (2hrs) and Pouakai Hut to Mangorei Road (2hrs). You can also of course add on Pouakai tarns which is about an additional 20 mins.
7am Departure! 7 degrees.
We decided to start early at 7am so that we would beat any heat and just give us the whole day to tackle the walk. The Veronica Loop is a beautiful track that starts with a steady and steep ascent through alpine rainforest, it’s a really pretty track with lovely views back out over Taranaki. Once on the Veronica Loop, you then follow signs for Holly Hut (as you don’t want to continue on the loop around back to the Visitors Centre!). Once we cleared the tree line we were treated to some amazing views and started to cross the mountain. The landscape was so incredibly beautiful in all directions and you can see the path stretched out ahead of you weaving across the mountain. Very cool.
You can look straight up to the mountain or out over the Taranaki countryside and New Plymouth and the coast, it really is stunning. The walking on this section was our favourite - the track was great and most of it easy walking, with a few little technical bits and big rocks to cross, but mostly just a great track. Passing under Ambury Bluffs (huge cliffs) was a highlight, it was all so dramatic and beautiful.
Look closely for the path, Boomerang Slip
The biggest thing to note on this section is a few hours in you have to cross Boomerang Slip. I had read about this slip area, but wasn’t really prepared for how massive it was. I knew I had to cross it, so really had to get my courage up to do it as it’s pretty intimidating. It is literally a massive rock slide area with a narrow path made of sand going across it, like a goat track. My advice is just don’t look down and get it over with!
Once past here the landscape starts to change as you change direction and start to see the Ahukawakawa Swamp & ranges come in to view. Breathtaking! We ascended to Holly Hut which is a great spot to stop for lunch. We laid on the deck in the sunshine, met some other hikers and had a porta loo stop before carrying on.
The next section takes you across the swamp which is entirely other worldly. The swamp sits at an altitude of 920 metres and lies between the main cone of Mount Taranaki and the Pouakai Range to the northwest, which reaches 1,400 metres. It was formed about 3,500 years ago when a lava extrusion and a later debris flow blocked the Stony River (thanks Wikipedia). Because much of this area is protected you are walking on boardwalk which is a nice change.
Half way up, looking back down over the swamp
Once across we started uphill again, a little nervous at the ridge ahead of us but thought it would be over quickly. It wasn’t. It went on FOREVER! The only saving grace to this never ending ascent was the views looking back to the mountain were amazing. Plus the fact that there were wooden steps / boardwalk the whole way up. We must have been going up for 1.5hrs before it levelled out and we joined the Pouakai Junction track and Pouakai Hut. We decided not to do the detour to the tarns as we were tired and feet getting sore, so went direct to the hut for a break before starting the long downhill to Mangorei Road.
The last part is pretty gruelling due to the constant downhill on tired legs, but it is really pretty through alpine forest again. You have now joined the Pouakai Tarns track. This track is pretty famous here in the ‘naki, with hundreds and hundreds flocking here in the summer to get THE shot at the tarns. But it’s a hard slog straight uphill for 2hrs, not for the faint hearted. We thankfully were only having to go down it, but after an hour or so on already tired legs and sore feet, it was hard. But we did it! Eventually reaching my waiting husband who was waiting for us in the carpark.
My handy Apple Watch told me we had walked 20.95kms in just on 8hrs (including roughly an hour of breaks) and reach an altitude gain of 1156m. No small feat for my son OR me.
Speaking of my waiting husband - one of the things you will need to consider is transport, as the track is one way. There are two services I know of that run shuttles, the first is Taranaki Driven and the second is Ducks & Drakes. There may be others available too, so I recommend you do a quick google check.
Last but not least, please go prepared if you are going to go on this walk. The mountain is unpredictable and conditions can change. Even if it is a nice day, things change quickly up there. Make sure you take plenty of fluids & food (more than you think you will need), rain jackets plus a warm layer, good footwear, a first aid kit, emergency blankets plus sunblock and most of all make sure someone knows where you are.
If you’re coming from out of town, check out The Unwind on Canopy Camping Escapes, available from Mid September 23.
More information found on the DOC Pouakai Crossing Website
