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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: -35.55645, 173.61223. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 2 hr one way
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Waimā & Mataraua Forests
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes 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
Follow the gentle incline of an old coach road up the valley and onto the Mataraua Forest plateau.
This DOC directory entry covers **Wekaweka Track ** in Northland, within Waimā & Mataraua Forests. 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: 2 hr 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.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The Wekaweka Track is part of what was once a much-used network of coach roads built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This network connected a large area and was the main route for overland travel from the Kaipara to the Hokianga. Though much damaged through erosion, you can still clearly see the shape and design of the road, and the surface retains much of its character.
The track is mostly rocks and gravel and is rough and uneven in places, but it has a gentle gradient. When it reaches the Mataraua Plateau it connects with the Waoku Coach Road Track.
Getting there
Just south of Waimamaku turn off SH12 onto Wekaweka Road. Follow this for 20 km to the end.
Know before you go
The track is isolated and challenging − trampers need to be prepared and experienced in the backcountry.
There is no cellphone reception on this track.
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.
