Trails › New Zealand › Wellington › Tararua Range
TAR - Schorman-Kaitoke main range traverse
Next nearby hike: Roaring Stag Track 2.7 mi · 4.3 kmExplore Tararua Range →
TAR - Schorman-Kaitoke main range traverse 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
Best months: Aug–Jun · highs 10–20 °C (50–68 °F)
- J19°11°98
- F20°12°111
- M18°10°105
- A15°8°105
- M12°6°141
- J10°4°167
- J9°3°166
- A10°3°151
- S12°5°153
- O13°6°167
- N15°8°133
- D17°10°138
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
Traverses 35 named peaks and includes around 6800m of vertical gain. A large majority of the route is in the sub-alpine zone, so is subject to very changeable weather.
OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Trail facts
- Mapped length
- 75 km · 47 mi (OSM route, Waymarked Trails)
- Mountain range
- Tararua Range (North Island Mountain Spine; GMBA)
- Nearest town
- 18 km SE of Shannon (Horowhenua District, Manawatu-Wanganui) · GeoNames
- Best months
- Aug–Jun
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Wellington
- Continent
- Oceania
- Route type
- National route
- Ref
- TarSK
- Operator (OSM)
- Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club
- From / to
- Putara Road, Eketahuna, Wairarapa → Kaitoke Shelter, Marchant Road, Kaitoke, Hutt Valley
- Route centre
- -40.8764, 175.3855
- Route start
- -40.6806, 175.5484
- OpenStreetMap
- relation 17793689
- Official info
- wtmc.org.nz/trip-report/sk-main-range-traverse-i
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 →Blue Range to Cow Creek Hut Track
3.5 km · 8 mi · 12 km away
Mangahao - Manahika Track
21 km · 8 mi · 13 km away
Kiriwhakapapa to Blue Range Hut
2.5 km · 8 mi · 14 km away
TAR - northern crossing
37 km · 9 mi · 14 km away
Waiopehu Track (Poads Road to Waiopehu Hut)
6.5 km · 10 mi · 15 km away
Burttons Track
17 km · 10 mi · 16 km away
Nearest trails
distance from the trail startRoaring Stag Track
2.7 mi · 4.3 km · Tararua Forest Park
Dundas Circuit
4.7 mi · 7.5 km · Tararua Forest Park
South Ohau Hut via Waiopehu and Dora Ridge
4.9 mi · 7.9 km · Tararua Forest Park
Burn Hut Loop
4.9 mi · 7.9 km · Manawatū-Whanganui
Lower Ruamahanga Track to Cow Creek Hut, via Cow Saddle
5.8 mi · 9.4 km · Tararua Forest Park
Mangahao Makahika Track
6.1 mi · 9.8 km · Tararua Forest Park
All trails in Wellington → · All 1,167 trails in New Zealand →