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Key facts
- Distance
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 1 hr 30 min one way
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Maunga Kākaramea, Waiotapu and Te Kopia Scenic Reserves
- 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
Hike or bike to the summit of Maunga Kākaramea for 360-degree views.
This DOC directory entry covers Te Tihi o Ruru (Summit) Track in Bay of Plenty, within Maunga Kākaramea, Waiotapu and Te Kopia Scenic Reserves. 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: 1 hr 30 min one way
- 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.
- Wallaby control on Maunga Kākaramea and Waiotapu areas; First published on 30 September 2026.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
From the carpark, follow the Crater Lake Walk for 15 minutes to a lookout over a crater lake.
From the lookout, the track climbs through regenerating native vegetation and past bare, coloured and steaming ridges.
The track reaches a road which leads to the summit. Before the summit, there is a viewing area above a crater.
From the summit you can see:
Mt Tarawera; Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana and Rerewhakaaitu to the north
The Paeroa Range to the west
The Urewera Ranges and Kaimanawa Forest to the east
Mt Tauhara, Lake Taupō and the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park to the south.
Maunga Kākāramea is particularly significant to the local iwi Ngāti Tahu/Ngāti Whaoa. Stay on the formed tracks to respect this place and protect rare geothermal plants.
Mountain biking
Open to uphill mountain biking only. Descend via Te Ranga Trail.
This is a sustained, steep and technical climb.
Te Tihi o Ruru Track is part of the Maunga Kākaramea mountain bike loop.
Do not ride to the summit unless you have the skills to descend the Advanced Grade 4 Te Ranga Trail.
This is a shared-use track. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.
Getting there
Maunga Kākaramea (previously known as Rainbow Mountain) lies 26 km south-east of Rotorua, beside SH 5 (the Rotorua-Taupo highway). From Rotorua, the carpark is just past the SH38 turnoff (the Murupara/ Waikaremoana highway) on the left-hand side of the road.
View the car park on google maps.
Cyclists can reach Maunga Kākaramea by following part of Te Ara Ahi, a 66 km cycle trail that includes Maunga Kākaramea Scenic Reserve.
Know before you go
Cliffs and high drop-offs on this track
Fragile and dangerous geothermal landscape
Stay on the track and behind barriers
Supervise children
This is an advanced track and is steep, rough and eroded in places. The clay surface becomes very slippery in wet weather.
The track is shared by walkers and uphill mountain bikers
Watch for vehicles on the summit road
Nature and conservation
Maunga Kākaramea is home to rare and threatened geothermal plants.
Plants growing here have needed to adapt to the high temperatures, acidic soil and toxic gases. They have developed special characteristics to survive, like shallow roots, needle-like leaves and slow growth. Some mosses, liverworts and lichens can live in temperatures as hot as 70°C.
The geothermal activity on Maunga Kākaramea has cooled over the last 100 years. This has reduced the soil temperature and so means the forests are coming back.
Maunga Kākaramea means ‘mountain of coloured earth'. You can see these colours in the cliffs.
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 published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.
