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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -37.66365, 175.13286. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 2 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 3 hr
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Hakarimata Scenic Reserve
- Dog access
- No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Climb to the summit of Hakarimata (374 m) and enjoy good views for the summit tower out towards the coast, across the Waikato Basin and down to Ruapehu. This track is part of Te Araroa Trail.
This DOC directory entry covers Hakarimata Summit Track 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: 2 km return via same track
- Walking time: 3 hr
- DOC grade: Easy
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 track is part of Te Araroa Trail.
Follow the Waterworks Walk to just before the dam where the track branches off to the right and climbs steeply up a well constructed set of steps and stairs. Be careful on the narrower parts of the Waterworks Walk between the waterfall and the stairs. Look and listen out for falling rocks and don’t stop on these sections, especially in bad weather.
It is a 335 metre climb from Brownlee Avenue to the summit with 1,349 steps. The track meets the Hakarimata Walkway and the summit tower at 374 metres above sea level.
In spring you can smell the scented daphne, Alseuosmia quercifolia or topara growing beside the track. The tower provides good views out towards the coast and across the Waikato Basin and down to Ruapehu on a clear day.
Getting there
The Hakarimata Summit Track is accessed via the Waterworks Walk. The Waterworks Walk starts on Brownlee Avenue, off Hakarimata Road, approx. 1 km north of Ngāruawāhia.
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.
