Last updated November 2026
South-east of Lake Taupō, the Kaimanawa Range holds a large, mostly unmodified expanse of native forest, shrubland and tussock grassland. Kaimanawa Forest Park covers about 77,348 hectares between Tongariro National Park and Kaweka Forest Park, according to the Department of Conservation’s park brochure. DOC manages it for its soil and water, native vegetation, wildlife and scenery.
Beech forest covers most of the park, giving way to tussock and subalpine plants on the tops, and four major rivers, the Mohaka, Rangitīkei, Ngaruroro and Tongariro, gather their water here. DOC huts at Boyd, Oamaru, Cascade and Waipakihi serve trampers and hunters, and parts of the park lie about 33 to 45 km from Taupō in a straight line.
Practical Information
- Location
- The Kaimanawa Range south-east of Lake Taupō, between Tongariro National Park and Kaweka Forest Park; road ends off State Highway 1 south of Tūrangi and off State Highway 5 via Taharua Road
- Distance from the city
- About 33 to 45 km from Taupō in a straight line; the Taharua Road turnoff for Clements Mill Road is 27 km east of Taupō on State Highway 5 (DOC)
- Size
- About 77,348 hectares (DOC park brochure)
- Dogs
- Dogs with a DOC permit only
- Facilities
- Four DOC huts; Urchin camping area off Kaimanawa Road; basic campsites along Waikoko Stream
- Fees
- Hunting and fishing need permits or licences
- Managed by
- Department of Conservation (Tūrangi Office)
- Status
- Department of Conservation: Kaimanawa Forest Park page
- Track markers
- On marked bush tracks, DOC and most councils use orange triangles for the walking route. Triangles or tape in other colours, usually pink or blue, mark pest-control lines and traps. They can lead off the track, so don’t follow them.
About Kaimanawa Forest Park
Gazetted in 1969, the park climbs from about 560 m in the north to Makorako, its highest point at 1,727 m. DOC describes the interior as rough and broken country, with gentler land to the east and around the edges.
Annual rainfall is about 3,500 mm, easing towards the east, and DOC warns that the weather changes fast: expect cold and wet conditions even in summer, and frost or snow on high ground at any time of year.
Red and silver beech dominate the forest in the north and east, and mountain beech takes over in the south and the interior valleys. Towards the west, rimu, mataī and tōtara become more common. Between about 1,160 and 1,370 m the forest gives way to tussock grassland and subalpine plants.
Kererū, fantails, bellbirds, riflemen, robins, grey warblers, tomtits, whiteheads and kākāriki are among the commonest birds, and shining and long-tailed cuckoos arrive in summer. Whio (blue duck), kākā and falcons are less common, and kiwi are now rarely heard, though their probe holes and footprints can still turn up.
The park is also home to Powelliphanta marchanti, a giant carnivorous land snail whose shell can reach about 90 mm across and which feeds on earthworms. DOC’s brochure adds short-tailed and long-tailed bats in the north and west.
History of the Range
DOC’s park brochure traces the name to Hapekituarangi, who, asked why he was in such a cold and barren country, replied that his breath was his food. Māori travelled traditional routes through the range, with camps and settlements at several sites. European explorers arrived in the mid-1800s, followed by gold prospectors.
Later uses left their mark. Sheep farming was tried in the park but had become uneconomic by the 1920s. Between 1937 and 1972 more than 4,500 hectares of red and silver beech were logged, mostly for fencing.
Deer hunting and culling in the 1950s and 1960s laid down much of the track system trampers use now. Sika deer live here too: DOC’s sika deer page names Kaimanawa Forest Park and the Kaweka Forest as where they are found.
Road Ends and Getting There
DOC says vehicle access comes from the north and west on mainly unsealed roads that cross both private and DOC land. The road ends DOC’s brochure names include:
- Kaimanawa Road: off State Highway 1, 15 km south of Tūrangi, with Urchin camping area 3 km along.
- Tree Trunk Gorge Road: off State Highway 1, 23 km south of Tūrangi.
- Taharua and Clements Mill roads: from State Highway 5 east of Taupō, leading to Clements Road End campsite and the start of the Hinemaiaia Track.
The Tree Trunk Gorge Track links the Kaimanawa Road and Tree Trunk Gorge Road ends.
Planning a Trip
Much of the park has no cell phone coverage, and DOC asks every visitor to carry a personal locator beacon and check the MetService forecast. Use Plan My Walk and tell someone your plans before you go.
Rivers can rise quickly after heavy rain, and DOC names the Mohaka, Oamaru, Ngaruroro and Waipakihi rivers in particular. Treat or boil drinking water because of Giardia, and clean, check and dry gear between waterways.
Several areas around the park are private land. DOC lists East Taupō Lands as having no public access, including routes from Kiko Road to Cascade Hut and from Waipakihi Hut over Ignimbrite Saddle, and says a DOC hunting permit does not give access across private land: get the landowner’s permission before you set off.
Hunting and fishing both need permits. Brown and rainbow trout live in most larger rivers; rivers in the Lake Taupō catchment need a Taupō fishery licence, and the rest of the park is covered by Fish and Game licences.
Dogs need a DOC permit, and DOC encourages avian avoidance training because dogs are a serious threat to kiwi and whio. Fires may be banned in extreme fire danger; DOC prefers portable stoves, and any firewood should come from dead trees only.
Where to Learn More
Department of Conservation: Kaimanawa Forest Park: park information, huts, private land access and status. Park information: Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Department of Conservation: Kaimanawa Forest Park brochure (PDF): the park’s history, road ends, huts, hunting and fishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kaimanawa Forest Park?
South-east of Lake Taupō, between Tongariro National Park and Kaweka Forest Park. Parts of it lie about 33 to 45 km from Taupō in a straight line, with road ends off State Highway 1 near Tūrangi and off State Highway 5 via Taharua Road.
How big is the park?
DOC’s park brochure gives about 77,348 hectares. The park was gazetted in 1969.
Are there huts in the Kaimanawa Range?
Yes. DOC lists four huts in the park, which serve trampers and hunters.
Can I take my dog?
Only with a DOC permit. DOC encourages avian avoidance training to protect kiwi and whio.
Do I need a permit to hunt or fish?
Yes. Hunting and fishing need permits; rivers in the Lake Taupō catchment need a Taupō fishery licence, and the rest of the park is covered by Fish and Game licences.
Can I camp in the park?
Yes. DOC’s brochure lists Urchin camping area, 3 km along Kaimanawa Road off State Highway 1, among the park’s campsites.
Is there cell coverage?
Not in many parts of the park. DOC asks every visitor to carry a personal locator beacon.
What is the giant snail in the Kaimanawa?
Powelliphanta marchanti, a carnivorous land snail that eats earthworms. Its shell can reach about 90 mm across.
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