Te Araroa - 03 Waikato 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
- J23°15°72
- F23°16°72
- M22°14°78
- A19°12°92
- M16°10°103
- J14°8°120
- J14°7°134
- A14°8°120
- S16°9°100
- O17°10°94
- N19°12°86
- D21°14°91
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
The Waikato was a source of life for Māori. We follow Waikato for 80 km to Hamilton (including Hakarimata ridge) and then the Waipa for 160 km to Pureora, diverting to ascend Pirongia (dominant on the skyline) and pass the spectacular Waitomo Caves.
OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Trail facts
- Length (signed)
- 248 km · 154 mi (OSM distance tag)
- Mapped length
- 253 km · 157 mi (OSM route, Waymarked Trails)
- Part of
- Te Araroa - North Island / Te Ika-a-Māui (national route)
- Best months
- Year-round
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Waikato
- Continent
- Oceania
- Route type
- Regional route
- Ref
- TA03
- From / to
- Mercer → Pureora
- Route centre
- -37.9000, 175.2844
- Route start
- -37.2783, 175.0491
- OpenStreetMap
- relation 9623302
- Official info
- teararoa.org.nz/waikato/
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.
Nearest trails
distance from the trail startTe Araroa - 02 Auckland - t Mangatawhiri to Mercer
2.1 mi · 3.4 km · Waikato
Te Araroa - alternative Drury to Rangariri
2.3 mi · 3.7 km · Waikato
Mount William Walkway
4.8 mi · 7.7 km · Waikato
Te Araroa - 02 Auckland - s Bombay to Mangatawhiri
5.2 mi · 8.4 km · Waikato
Hapuakohe Walkway
20 mi · 32 km · Matahuru Scenic Reserve
Hakarimata Walkway
24 mi · 39 km · Hakarimata Scenic Reserve