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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: -37.03442, 175.87450. 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
- 2.9 km one way
- Walking time
- 1 hour 50 minutes
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Tairua area
- 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
Beautiful views of Pauanui town can be seen from the trig.
This DOC directory entry covers Pauanui Trig Track in Waikato, within Tairua area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 2.9 km one way
- Walking time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- 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
The shorter steeper route to the trig is via the signposted track at the car park (allow 1 hour 15 minutes one way).
An alternative route is a gentle 400m walk through pōhutukawa-dominated coastal forest and occassional small beaches to Cave Bay (20 minutes one way). From Cave Bay the track climbs up through forest to the trig (2.5km or 1 hour 30 minutes one way in total).
Getting there
The carpark is at the South End Reserve at the end of Pauanui Beach road. Both tracks then start from the base of the hill at the end of the beach.
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.
