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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: -38.54234, 175.63356. 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
- 2.6 km one way return via same track
- Walking time
- 2 hr 30 min one way
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Pureora Forest Park
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. 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
On a clear day, enjoy views across Lake Taupo, the Mamaku Ranges, Mount Taranaki and Mount Ruapehu from the summit of Mount Pureora.
This DOC directory entry covers Mount Pureora from Link Road in Waikato, within Pureora Forest 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: 2.6 km one way return via same track
- Walking time: 2 hr 30 min one way
- 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 with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This is the shortest route to the top of Mount Pureora. It's a well maintained track with bridges across all waterways and a boardwalk towards the summit.
Getting there
From SH30, turn onto Maraeroa Road, then Barryville Road, then Link Road. The start of the track is about 14 km along Link Road.
The carpark is on the opposite side of the road to the track entrance. Note, the track on the same side as the car park is a different track.
Know before you go
There is no petrol available near Pureora village or the track.
There are also no toilets along the track - use the toilets in Pureora Village on Barryville Road.
Check the Mount Pureora weather forecast – NIWA website.
Nature and conservation
The altitude affects the vegetation pattern on Mount Pureora, where the tallest podocarp trees occur at the lowest altitudes and the canopy height steadily decreasing as the altitude increases. On the summit the vegetation is reduced in many places to a low turf with occasional low shrubs, allowing for amazing views.
History and culture
Mount Pureora is a sacred mountain for many tribes in the Central North Island, and we recognise the relationship of our iwi partners Ngāti Rereahu, Ngāti Maniapoto, Raukawa, and Ngāti Tuwharetoa with the mountain.
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.
