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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: -40.24576, 175.87053. 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
- 3-4 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Ruahine Forest Park
- 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
This track to the southern tip of the Ruahine Range is recommended for experienced trampers.
This DOC directory entry covers Wharite Peak Track in Manawatu-Whanganui, within Ruahine 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: 3-4 hr
- 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
This boggy track to the southern tip of the Ruahine Range is recommended for experienced trampers.
About 20 minutes from the carpark the track climbs steeply to the windswept leatherwood tops and along to Wharite Road.
On a clear day there are views as far as Kapiti Island, over the windmills farm to Mt Bruce and the Tongariro mountains.
Getting there
Wharite Peak Track can be accessed from either end of the track.
From near Wharite Peak
To access near Wharite Peak, follow Whariti Road, Woodville. Take the road that turns right off Whariti Road and heads up towards the peak. A DOC car park and signage is at the roadend. There is room for two parked cars and the track starts from here.
The access road is a rough gravel road. A 4WD is recommended.
From Coppermine Track
Wharite Peak Track can also be accessed from the northern end, where the track meets Coppermine Track or Coppermine Loop Track. Nearby parking is at Coppermine Road, Papatawa. Coppermine Track and Coppermine Loop Track start at this roadend.
Know before you go
Slips are common in this unstable erosion prone area, sometimes resulting in track closures.
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.
