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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: -35.22040, 173.95883. 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
- 1 km one way
- Walking time
- 1 hr
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Kerikeri area / Kororipo Heritage Park
- Dog access
- Dogs on a leash only. 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
This short, easy walk passes through regenerating native forest to Kororipo pā - it's a great option for children to explore the heritage of early Maori/European settlement.
This DOC directory entry covers Hongi Hika Walk in Northland, within Kerikeri area / Kororipo Heritage Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 1 km one way
- Walking time: 1 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
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Hongi Hika Walk links with Kororipo Pā Historic Walk to connect Kerikeri and Hone Heke Roads.
Starting from Hone Heke Road, this well-formed track meanders through mature gums and regenerating native forest, across a small bridge to a fork in the track approximately 70 m from the bridge. Turn left to exit at the carpark just below the historic St James Church, or take the right-hand fork and walk on up on to the Kororipo pā site.
Getting there
The track is within Hongi Hika Recreation Reserve in Kerikeri.
You can reach the Hongi Hika Track from three different entry points: from the St James carpark at 209 Kerikeri Road; from Hone Heke Road on the NorthTec campus boundary; or from the junction of Kororipo Pā Track.
Know before you go
Parking and picnicking area available at the northern side of the bridge over the Kerikeri River, and at the end of the Rainbow Falls Road.
Related link
The Te Araroa Trail links to the nearby Kerikeri River Track.
History and culture
The Hongi Hika track runs along the same pathway used by pre-European Maori warriors to access the bountiful Kerikeri River from their permanent residences further inland.
The Kororipo pā served as Hongi Hika’s coastal fortified settlement and played an important role in New Zealand’s musket war campaigns.
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.
