By Outdoor Next Editorial standards
On this page
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: -41.29761, 174.99261. 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
- 7 hrs to Wainuiomata
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Remutaka Forest Park
- Dog access
- Dogs on a leash 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
This track leads from Wainuiomata to the Ōrongorongo River and offers views of the Remutaka Range and surrounding areas.
This DOC directory entry covers Whakanui Track in Wellington, within Remutaka 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 7 hrs to Wainuiomata
- 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.
- Ungulate control for parts of Remutaka Forest Park; First published on 22 January 2026. Last reviewed on 4 August 2026.
Dog access
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The Whakanui Track takes you from Wainuiomata through to the Ōrongorongo River in the Remutaka Forest Park. It can be walked as a return trip, or connected with the Big Bend Track or Mt McKerrow Track finishing at Catchpool carpark, or with Papatahi Crossing to finish in the Wairarapa.
The track begins from Hine Road/Sunny Grove in Wainuiomata. It then ascends up to a long flat ridge separating Whakanui Creek from Turere Stream. From there it continues on the true right side of Whakanui Creek to the end of the track.
The track passes through podocarp/broadleaf forest for most of its length. There are good views of the main Remutaka Range from the higher parts of the track – around 700 metres.
Getting there
The track starts at the end of Sunny Grove, off Hine Road. Hine Road is the last road on the left as you head out of Wainuiomata towards the coast.
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.
