Maharahara Peak Track other trails nearby (tap a dot to open it)
Get directions · Google MapsApple Maps
NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0) · OpenStreetMap · Official page · Basemap: OpenFreeMap (OpenMapTiles, © OSM contributors).
7-day forecast
Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)Best time to hike
Best months: Sep–May · highs 11–19 °C (52–66 °F)
- J19°11°97
- F19°11°102
- M17°9°100
- A15°7°97
- M12°5°122
- J9°3°145
- J9°3°144
- A9°3°128
- S11°4°142
- O13°6°138
- N15°7°112
- D17°9°125
Average high °C · low °C · precipitation mm per month. Highlighted: best months.
How we pick months
Best months are those where the 1981–2010 average daily high is 10–27 °C (50–81 °F), the average overnight low is 0 °C (32 °F) or warmer, and average precipitation is 200 mm (7.9 in) or less. Values are long-term monthly averages for the ~1 km cell at the trail point on the map, from CHELSA V2.1 climatologies (Karger et al., CC0), not a forecast. Higher or more exposed parts of a route can be colder, wetter or snowier.
About this trail
Take a steep climb through forest to the rocky open knolls of Maharahara high point in the Ruahine Forest Park.
NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0).
Trail facts
- Length
- 3.9 km · 2.4 mi (DOC route geometry)
- Source
- NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0)
- Difficulty
- Hard (7/10) (Advanced · NZ Department of Conservation difficulty (CC BY 4.0))
- Typical time (DOC)
- 4-6 hr
- Official page
- doc.govt.nz/link/3dec759d3fd341fdbfc3a346c76
- Mountain range
- Ruahine Range (North Island Mountain Spine; GMBA)
- Nearest town
- 18 km W of Dannevirke (Manawatu-Wanganui) · GeoNames
- Park or forest
- Ruahine Forest Park
- Connects to
- Kumeti Road end tramping tracks (at its start or end)
- Best months
- Sep–May
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Manawatū-Whanganui
- Continent
- Oceania
- Route centre
- -40.1655, 175.8977
How it’s scored
Hard (7/10). Official rating: Advanced · NZ Department of Conservation difficulty (CC BY 4.0).
A score is omitted when we do not have an official rating or enough measured length and elevation gain to compute one. Nothing is guessed. Read the NPS method: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/how-to-determine-hiking-difficulty.htm
Hikers can rate difficulty from 1 to 10 (1 = flat, short, easy walk for anyone; 3 = gentle hills, a little effort; 5 = moderate climbs, some fitness needed; 7 = steep or long, solid fitness required; 10 = extremely strenuous or technical; long steep climbing; experienced hikers only). The community average is shown once at least 3 people have rated the trail; until then the official or computed score is used when we have one.
More trails in the Ruahine Range
All 29 →Knights-Shorts Loop Track
8.9 km · 14 mi · 22 km away
Iron Gate Hut Track
6.2 km · 16 mi · 26 km away
Longview Hut to Mākāretu Hut Track
5.7 km · 17 mi · 27 km away
Kashmir Road tramping tracks
8.1 km · 21 mi · 34 km away
Smiths Stream Hut track
3.4 km · 27 mi · 44 km away
McKinnon Hut Track
4.8 km · 29 mi · 46 km away
Nearest trails
distance from the trail centreKumeti Road end tramping tracks
2.3 mi · 3.7 km · Ruahine Forest Park
Coppermine Loop Track
4.7 mi · 7.6 km · Ruahine Forest Park
Wharite Peak Track
5.6 mi · 9.1 km · Ruahine Forest Park
A Frame Hut & Takapari Road Track
7 mi · 12 km · Ruahine Forest Park
Homes Ridge Track
8 mi · 14 km · Manawatū-Whanganui
Stanfield Hut to Cattle Creek Hut Track
10 mi · 17 km · Ruahine Forest Park
All trails in Manawatū-Whanganui → · All 1,167 trails in New Zealand →