Te Haua Uru Track: Walking Guide, Time & Access

Route overview

The Te Haua Uru Track is located in the Tangihua Forest and links with the Horokaka Track and Tangihua Main Ridge Track to form a loop that will take experienced trampers 9 hours to complete.

This DOC directory entry covers Te Haua Uru Track in Northland, within Tangihua Forest. 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: 3 hr 45 min to junction one way from car park
• DOC grade: Advanced

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 for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

From the Tangihua Lions Lodge you walk past the orientation course and clearings to enter a bush track. For your own safety keep off the orientation course equipment - it's supplied by the Lions Lodge Trust for the use of their guests with appropriate safety equipment and supervision.

The track crosses a stream via a small bridge and meets the Tumanako Track. Signage directs you to follow the stream for approximately 20 minutes before crossing it and heading up towards a kauri grove, traversing up through mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest.

Within 20 minutes you will reach the large kauri trees at Kauri Grove. From here the Te Haua Uru Track continues to climb steeply up to the junction of the Tangihua Main Ridge Track which leads to the Horokaka Transmitter (an additional 2 - 3 hours tramp) and the Northern Tangihua Track which leads to the Tangihua Hut (an additional 2 - 3 hours tramp). Both tracks are strenuous and require tramping experience due to the roughness of the routes.

Day walkers can easily walk as far as Kauri Grove accessed from the Te Haua Uru Track.

Experienced trampers wanting a challenging day can follow the Te Haua Uru Track-Tangihua Main Ridge Track- Horokaka Track loop, a full 9 hour tramp which includes strenuous climbing in places. Alternatively they can continue on to the Tangihua Hut via the Northern Tangihua Track.

Viewing platform

The track features a viewing platform set amidst a stand of large kauri trees, part of the fight to protect our native kauri trees.

The platform's circular design, with a diameter of 5.2 metres, is based on the trunk size of Te Matua Ngahere – the widest and second largest living kauri tree in New Zealand, located in Northland's Waipoua forest.

Getting there

The Te Haua Uru track is located in the Tangihua Forest which is found halfway between Whangārei on Northland’s east coast and Dargaville on the west coast. Your best access into Tangihua Forest is from Omana Road.

The Omana Road Tangihua access car park has parking for 15 cars. You will need to walk 30 minutes along a formed road to the bush line. From here, it is another 15 minutes until you reach Tangihua Lions Lodge, a good orientation point for tracks and walks in the forest.

Know before you go

• The Horokaka, Tangihua Main Ridge Track and Te Haua Uru Track loop route should only be tackled by experienced trampers.

• There are razor back ridges and lack of hand holds.

• Trampers should have a high degree of skill and experience, route-finding ability, be well-equipped and use topographical maps.

• Watch where you are going at all times. There are steep drops in places.

• The ridge is exposed to rough weather. Make sure you are well equipped and have appropriate warm and waterproof tramping gear.

• Strenuous climbing required in places.

• Keep to the marked tracks.

• There may be wasps and wasp nests in the area.

• There are unbridged river crossings. Do not attempt to cross in flood conditions.

History and culture

Tracks and routes within Tangihua Forest pass by sites of cultural and spiritual significance to the Parawhau Ngapuhi people. For this reason we ask that trampers stay on the marked tracks.

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.