Wellington, New ZealandManawatū-WhanganuiMangahao - Manahika Track extension · Manawatū-WhanganuiWaikanae to Foxton · Manawatū-WhanganuiManawatū-WhanganuiTararua Forest ParkRoaring Stag Track · Tararua Forest ParkWaiopehu Track (Poads Road to Waiopehu Hut) · Tararua Forest ParkArcus Loop Track · Tararua Forest ParkAtiwhakatu Track · Tararua Forest ParkBlue Range to Cow Creek Hut Track · Tararua Forest ParkDonnelly Flat Loop Walk · Tararua Forest ParkDundas Circuit · Tararua Forest ParkEast Holdsworth Track · Tararua Forest ParkField Hut and Table Top · Tararua Forest ParkGentle Annie · Tararua Forest ParkHoldsworth road end to Powell Hut/Mount Holdsworth · Tararua Forest ParkKiriwhakapapa to Blue Range Hut · Tararua Forest ParkLower Ruamahanga Track to Cow Creek Hut, via Cow Saddle · Tararua Forest ParkMitre Flats Track · Tararua Forest ParkMitre Peak Track · Tararua Forest ParkMt Holdsworth - Jumbo Circuit · Tararua Forest ParkPukeatua Track · Tararua Forest ParkSouth Ohau Hut via Waiopehu and Dora Ridge · Tararua Forest ParkTe Araroa - 05 Wellington - b Otaki Forks to Waikanae · Tararua Forest ParkWaitewaewae Hut Track · Tararua Forest ParkTararua Forest ParkWellingtonFenceline Walk · WellingtonKapakapanui Track · WellingtonMangaone Walkway · WellingtonTAR - Schorman-Kaitoke main range traverse · WellingtonTe Araroa - 05 Wellington - a Poads Road, Levin to Otaki Forks · WellingtonŌtaki River Trail · WellingtonHemi Matenga Memorial Park Scenic ReserveTe Au Track · Hemi Matenga Memorial Park Scenic ReserveHemi Matenga Memorial Park Scenic ReserveEndStart10 kmN ↑

TAR - northern crossing other trails nearby (tap a dot to open it)

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© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Full route · OpenStreetMap · Basemap: OpenFreeMap (OpenMapTiles, © OSM contributors).

7-day forecast

Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)

Best time to hike

Year-round

  1. J20°13°98
  2. F20°13°106
  3. M18°12°100
  4. A16°10°103
  5. M13°8°130
  6. J11°6°158
  7. J11°5°152
  8. A11°5°142
  9. S13°7°150
  10. O14°8°163
  11. N16°9°133
  12. D18°12°148

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

Northern Crossing links the Ōhau and Waingawa catchments in Tararua Forest Park - one of four classic tramps here - 3 to 5 days - expert route

OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

Trail facts

Mapped length
37 km · 23 mi (OSM route, Waymarked Trails)
Mountain range
Tararua Range (North Island Mountain Spine; GMBA)
Nearest town
7.7 km SE of Levin (Horowhenua District, Manawatu-Wanganui) · GeoNames
Connects to
Waiopehu Track (Poads Road to Waiopehu Hut) (at its start or end)
Best months
Year-round
Country
New Zealand
Region
Wellington
Continent
Oceania
Route type
National route
Ref
TarNC
Operator (OSM)
Department of Conservation
From / to
east of Levin → top of Waingawa Road, Masterton
Route centre
-40.7713, 175.4291
Route start
-40.6604, 175.3592
OpenStreetMap
relation 6594589
Official info
doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/we
How it’s scored

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 Tararua Range

All 86 →

Nearest trails

distance from the trail start

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