Waitākere Ranges Regional Park

Waitakere ranges are one of the 2 mountain ranges Auckland has; this is a small walk off the Piha road to Upper Huia Reservoir which is 45 mins each way ; would recommend for evening walks
5 6 years ago (02-05-2018)

Serious question, Are the waterfalls in the ranges at least going to be open for public view/access after May? My family visiting from the states were confronted at the car park by the ranui/ environmental people telling them basically not to visit at all. How embarrassing. They were sucked in by your clean green New Zealand outdoor image only to learn this special place will be closed off. I understand from the environmental perspective this is the right decision but this doesnt seem like a well thought out long term solution. Close some tracks yes but the whole ranges?? And Im sick of the presumption that if you do not fully support the decision completely, you do not respect nature or care about future generations . How dare you make a shortsighted co-relation. How are you going to prevent the wildlife from spreading this disease which is likely the main cause? How long is the forest going to take time to "heal?" All I hear is implementing volunteers to use apps to dodge people and shaming them for anyone daring to set foot in the ranges. Is this what it's going to come down to? There is no cure for the trees right, so inevitably this place will be closed for many many years even a generation if this ban were to take place effectively. What is the point of having and preserving paradise when no one will enjoy it?
2 7 years ago (25-02-2018)

This was for the Nihotupu Dam walk. 10-15 mins in, its downhill but flat all the way to Dam itself. If venturing further it leads to a rest stop barbecue area (not very scenic as bushes are over grown) and further down to bottom of Dam where its a steep step climb to top of Dam - (For the serious walkers). However, going to the dam itself is fairly easy
5 7 years ago (14-02-2018)

We almost didn't make the journey after reading the angry review before this one, but thank goodness we did! Not sure exactly who the last reviewer talked to, but the people we encountered at the Arataki Visitor Centre (a good place to start if you need maps / advice) were nothing but kind and helpful. While it's true some parts of the Park are temporarily closed to protect against Kauri dieback disease, there are still plenty of places to explore. Based on the suggestions of the Visitor Center guide, we started off with the 1 hour loop Nature Walk trail, accessed from the parking lot of the Visitor Center, to see a grove of Kauri trees. From there we drove 20 minutes to the Piha region and did the 1 hour Mercer Bay Loop Walk for AMAZING cliff views! Next stop Piha beach - after grabbing a delicious sandwich, wrap, and cake from the Piha Store - where we climbed up Lion Rock for the spectacular panaromic views. Last stop, a five minute drive to the Kitekite Falls - another 1 hour hike to a beautiful waterfall. Kauri trees, cliff views, beautiful beaches, and waterfalls - there is still plenty to see. Don't let the last review dissuade you from visiting this beautiful area!!!
5 7 years ago (08-03-2018)

Awesome place to visit for those that love the great outdoors, beach and surf! The Hilary Tracks is every bird dream. The local iwi have declared a Rahui on some of the tracks so not all tracks are open walkers. A Rahui is a Maori decree the forbids people walking in to the Waitakere tracks, in an attempt to stop a lethal kauri tree desease that is killing off the kauri trees, infecting their roots. The desease live in the soil around infected trees and there is no cure for it. So please clean your walking boots when going in and out of the walking tracks, try to walk within the designated tracks, and not to step on exposed tree roots to help reduce the chance of the desease spreading further.
5 7 years ago (09-01-2018)