Hakarimata Rail Trail: Walking Guide, Time & Access

Route overview

This family walking and cycling track follows the route of the former Ngāruawāhia/Glen Massey railway to attractive stream cascades.

This DOC directory entry covers Hakarimata Rail Trail in Waikato, within Hakarimata Scenic Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.

Distance, time and grade

• Distance: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
• Walking time: 30 min one way
• DOC grade: Easiest

Access and alerts

Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.

Dog access

No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

This easy walk follows the route of the former Ngāruawāhia/Glen Massey railway. The railway was closed in the 1950s coinciding with the closure of the Glen Massey coal mine.

Walking from the car park to the first bridge you pass a wetland restoration site which is part of Perry Quarry. The trail follows Firewood Creek through an area being replanted to a picnic site with toilets. From here, a short walk leads to attractive stream cascades. This is also the start of the southern section of the Hakarimata Walkway.

Return via the same track.

Mountain biking

This is a shared-use track. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.

Getting there

The track starts from Waingaro Road, off Hakarimata Road, approx. 3 km south of Ngāruawāhia.

Know before you go

Firewood Creek is a long-term native fish monitoring site and is vulnerable to disturbance. Stay on the walkway and do not access the upper creek.

The track is no longer suitable for wheelchairs as it needs repairing after significant weather events.

History and culture

Future plans are to extend the trail along Firewood Creek to the site of the historic train crash of 1933.

On 28 March 1933, in wet conditions, a coal laden train and carriages careered away from Glen Massey shunting yard.

The driver stayed on to sound the whistle to alert people along the track and to see if he could gain control of the train, choosing not to jump off when he could.

After manouvering it at speed through much of the route the train jumped the bridge at Firewood Creek and crashed into the stream. The carriages followed and landed on the engine killing the heroic driver instantly.

The new track will terminate at the remains of the wreckage of the locomotion.

Sources and reuse

Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.

The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.