Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway: Complete Guide

The Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is one of a handful of excellent walking trails in the southern Coromandel’s Karangahake Gorge. One of the longest of the network of Karangahake Gorge Walks, this track winds its way alongside the Ohinemuri River on its way to Owharoa Falls, the historic Victoria Battery site and Waikino train station cafe.

Karangahake Gorge has been a favourite of me & my family since 2017 when we first brought home our beautiful border collie, Tilly. Stuck for dog friendly hikes in New Zealand’s North Island we were delighted to discover that the Karangahake Gorge’s shared walkways are dog, family and bike friendly, which is what makes it extremely popular.

We’ve returned many times since to explore the other gorge trails, and love coming back here regularly (especially because it’s such a great year-round hike).

I recommend you set aside some time to take this little trip through one of the country’s most historic gorges! Keep reading to find out more about the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway.

Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway – What To Expect.

The Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is situated at the southern end of the Coromandel ranges and follows part of an old railway line between Paeroa and Waihi. It follows the Karangahake Gorge river (Ohinemuri) for most of its length, passing old gold-mining era relics, ore crushing batteries and mining tunnels in the picturesque setting of a natural gorge.

The track is predominantly flat (yes, really!) owing to its history as a railway track, making it really family-friendly. It’s a shared use track so expect to encounter mountain bikes and dogs on the way.

The full walk is a 5+ hour out-and-back trip (return the same way) to the Waikino train station, but you can incorporate the Karangahake Tunnel Loop track for a bit more variety or choose to walk only a shorter loop section of the track if you wish.

Following is a section by section breakdown of this track.

Karangahake Gorge Recreation Area to Eastern Portal Bridge

The main starting point for the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is the Karangahake Recreation Area, but you can also begin from Karangahake Hall if you can’t get parked in the main carpark. It’s an 800 m / 0.5 mile or 10 minute walk from Karangahake Hall to the recreation area.

From the recreation area, cross the main swing bridge over the Ohinemuri River to the opposite bank. Here you’ll come to a track junction. Keep to your far left to cross a second swing bridge over the Waitawheta River. On the other side of the second swing bridge you’ll come across the remains of the Woodstock Battery. The track goes right here on the Crown Track passing the Windows Walkway. To remain on the Karangahake Gorge Walkway, go straight ahead to follow the main Karangahake Gorge river.

It’s just under a kilometre (15-20 minutes) from Woodstock Battery to the Eastern Portal Bridge over the Ohinemuri River. This section of the track is perhaps the most scenic, meandering along the sheer cliffs of the gorge on a concrete track cut directly into the rock.

These are the biggest ‘hills’ you’ll find on the track. The track goes up and down through native bush cuttings to find the easiest route as the gorge narrows. You can really feel the sheer force of the water as it tumbles in rapids over the large rocks and boulders. In some places the sound is deafening. The main road through the gorge is just across the other side of the river.

This section can be quite muddy and slippery, especially after heavy rain. Keep an eye on young children and animals as the sides of the gorge are steep and the path becomes very narrow in places.

Eastern Portal Bridge to Owharoa Falls

Feel free to make your way down the short flight of stairs to the river below the bridge. This bend in the river flows slightly slower than the rapids further back, so it’s a good spot to get your feet wet (and let the furry ones have a quick dip).

Across the swing bridge is the Karangahake Rail Tunnel. This 1,100 m / 0.7mi long disused rail tunnel is well-lit and worth experiencing. If you can’t manage the full Karangahake Historic Walkway hike, I highly recommend returning to the Recreation Area via this Rail Tunnel loop. It’s just over 2km back to the main car park from here, around about an hour of walking if you take your time.

If you’re not turning back yet, continue on along the main pathway towards Owharoa Falls (3.5 km / 2.2 mi) and Waikino. The track flattens out and widens substantially from this point onwards, and there’s plenty of room for the other hikers and bikers you’re likely to encounter. It’s well graded, gravelled with a little bit of shade at intervals.

15 minutes from the Eastern Portal Bridge there’s a side-trail marked “Quarry and Waterfall”. This unnamed Karangahake Gorge waterfall is well-worth the 5-10 minute detour slightly uphill through the dense native forest.

The kids and dogs will love the opportunity to cool off and refresh here in the warmer months. Again, the kids and dogs will love the opportunity to cool off and refresh here in the warmer months.

Another 30 minutes along the track you’ll cross a small wooden bridge and arrive at Waitawheta Road. Turn right here for a short 5 minute walk to Owharoa Falls, a series of three unique ‘staircase’ waterfalls and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Karangahake Gorge.

Owharoa Falls to Victoria Battery

From Owharoa Falls, return to the main track by crossing Waitawheta Road and continuing alongside the river. There’s even less shelter on this section of trail, so make sure you have plenty of weather protection.

10 minutes up the track is the Waikino Memorial Bridge (built to commemorate the 1981 Waikino flood). Cross the bridge to visit the historic Waikino Hotel (dating from 1926), the last of three hotels to occupy this site since the mining era. There’s a bar and restaurant here if the mood takes you.

Another 5 minutes along the track you’ll reach the Victoria Battery site.

Victoria Battery to Waikino

Built at the turn of the century in 1896, Victoria Battery was built to fill the growing need of the Waihi Gold Mining Company whose very successful Martha Mine required more resources.

The purpose of the battery was to crush quartz ore so that gold could be extracted from it. It was capable of crushing over 812 tonnes of ore each day to the consistency of sand. With 200 stamp heads in the complex, it was New Zealand’s largest.

In fact, it was due to the presence of the Victoria Battery and mining in the gorge that the Karangahake community was built. Over 800 men worked in and around the gorge during its heyday in the early 1900s.

The Victoria Battery was important to Karangahake Gorge history becayse of its innovation to use cyanide to extract gold from the quartz ore at much higher rates. This process increased gold production from 50 to 90 percent, making the battery and nearby mines very profitable.

Two decades later, the gold reserves had been tapped out and by 1952 it had been closed. The Victoria Battery Tramway Society now offers guided tours around the complex on its narrow gauge mining tramway, and through its underground ore roasting kilns. There’s an informative museum on site too. The tours and museum are open weekends and public holidays from 10am to 3pm.

Spend as much time as you like exploring the complex, or pass straight through. There are long drop toilets on the right just past the old cyanide tanks.

From here it’s just a short 10 – 15 minute walk to Waikino Station. You’ll cross another bridge over the river before passing through a short tunnel under the road then walking on a short disused section of track to the station and its cafe.

From here, you can explore the option of hopping on the Goldfields Railway to Waihi, and/or enjoy a Devonshire cream tea and refreshment at the quaint Waikino Station Cafe.

The Goldfields Railway runs between Waihi and Waikino, and includes both open and closed cars so you can bring your bike and even your dog for a ride!

Return via Rail Tunnel Loop Track

Ask a friend to collect you from the cafe if you don’t want to walk back to the Karangahake Recreation Area, otherwise it’s back the same way you came!

The return walk provides a great opportunity to detour via the Rail Tunnel Loop Track if you haven’t already tackled it. This will add approximately another 30 minutes to your journey.

The Karangahake tunnel is a feat of modern engineering, and is an intriguing walk at over a kilometre in length. There’s electric lighting all through the tunnel, but a head torch and flashlight will be helpful too.

The tunnel pops straight out onto an old rail bridge (the Western Portal Bridge) over the main road. Rejoin the walking track on the other side to explore the remains of the Crown Battery before completing the loop with an easy walk along the riverside track back to the Karangahake recreation area.

Things to Know.

Parking Can Be Tricky

The Karangahake Gorge recreation area sits bang smack between Auckland, the Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty making it very popular with visitors from all regions. The busiest times are weekends, public and school holidays.

During these times the carparks at the recreation area and at the nearby Karangahake Hall can fill up fast, and you should plan to arrive early to secure a spot. There’s a walking track between Karangahake Hall and the official start of the track so you don’t have to walk along the road.

Shared Use Track

Because of its easy grade and accessibility, this track is incredibly popular with all kinds of trail users, from families with young children, to hikers, dogs and mountain bikers. You should expect to encounter all these and more (I’ve even seen motorbikes on the track in the past!).

Part of its popularity is due to its inclusion on the Hauraki Rail Trail, a 197 kilometre cycle trail running from Kaiaua to Matamata, as well as its proximity to Auckland which makes it perfect for a weekend day trip.

Take a Torch (& Your Swimming Gear)!

A great detour from the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is the Rail Tunnel Loop which takes you through the 1,100 metre long disused Karangahake tunnel. The rail tunnel is well lit, but a head torch or flashlight will come in handy for some extra light.

A torch or flashlight will also be handy if you choose to explore the nearby Windows Walkway on your trip.

If you’re visiting in the summer months, I highly recommend bringing your togs (swimming gear) with you. There are plenty of swimming holes along the Waitawheta Pipeline Walk to cool off in after your long walk.

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE
Don’t try to swim in the main flow of the Ohinemuri River, as it can flow very fast and strong even in the summer months. Opt for the calmer swimming holes along the Waitawheta River instead.

How to Get There.

Use the map above to get directions to the trailhead via your phone’s map app.

This track starts from the Karangahake Recreation Area car park on State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi. It is approximately 60km from Hamilton, and 130km from Auckland.

After passing through the small town of Paeroa, continue East on State Highway 2 towards Waihi for 7km until you come to the Karangahake Gorge recreation area and carpark on the right hand side of the road.

Track Grade & Fitness.

The Karangahake Historic Walkway is a flat but lengthy track (14 kilometres return in 5+ hours) which winds its way along the Ohinemuri River to the historic train station at Waikino.

It’s graded as an Easy walking track by the Department of Conservation (find out more about NZ trail classifications here) making it suitable for hikers of all ages and fitness levels.

You can choose to walk as far as you would like, with plenty of options for smaller loop tracks if you can’t manage the full distance. The path is wide, well graded and gravelled largely because it forms part of the Hauraki Rail Trail mountain bike track. All rivers and streams are bridged.

Facilities.

There’s a medium-sized carpark at the Karangahake Gorge recreation area, with additional parking available at Karangahake Hall a little further back along SH2 towards Paeroa. These parking areas fill up fast on the weekends and public holidays, so make sure to arrive early to secure a spot.

A set of well-maintained toilets is present at the main car park, along with rubbish bins and a water tap. There are no rubbish bins along the track, but there is a set of long drop toilets at Victoria Battery (and the Waikino Station Cafe also has toilets).

The gorge is full of informational signage about the region’s mining history, providing an educational aspect to your trip.

Food & Water.

Depending on how you choose to structure your adventure in the Karangahake Gorge, you may require just a few snacks or a full day’s supply of food.

A great place to mark the mid-point of your hike is the Waikino Station Cafe, located just across State Highway 2 at the Victoria Battery end of the track. The cafe is open 10am to 2 or 3pm most days, but it’s worth checking ahead as sometimes they are closed.

There’s a decent selection of food and drink (I recommend the Devonshire cream tea) as well as tea and coffee. From here, you can also book a train ride on the Goldfields Railway between Waihi and Waikino.

There’s a water tap at the Karangahake Gorge recreation area car park and you can buy bottled water at the Waikino Station Cafe, but there’s nowhere else to fill up along this track. Make sure you have at least 2L per person, perhaps more in the hot summer months.

Seasonal Variations.

Hot in summer, damp and rainy during winter, weather in Karangahake Gorge is a tropical but temperate microclimate which makes this track a perfect option all year round. Expect plenty of sun and heat during the summer months, and lots of rain and damp conditions during the winter months.

There’s a little bit of shade and shelter on the track from the sunshine during summer, but long sections are exposed, so you’ll need good sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen). In the winter, don’t forget your thermal layers and a waterproof outer.

Although this track is perfect during the warmer months, the first ever time I hiked the Karangahake Gorge Walkway was in the middle of winter, and I 100% recommend it – it was a magical experience! As long as a bout of severe rainfall (or a cyclone) hasn’t just swept through, you should be good to go!

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE
Make sure to check the DOC track alerts before you leave, as landslides/slips are common along the gorge after heavy rainfall. Karangahake Gorge track closures currently affect the Windows Walk and Rail Tunnel Loop.

Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway – What to Pack

I recommend you check out my complete day hiking gear list for a full breakdown of all the gear you’ll need for this hike.

Don’t forget to bring your head torch or flashlight for the Rail Tunnel Loop Track – even though its well lit you’ll be happy you have it! You’ll also be on your feet for over four hours, so make sure you’re wearing some comfy shoes.

In summer, don’t forget your togs (swimming gear) so you can take a dip in one of the many pools by the car park. In winter, I recommend a thermos or flask of hot tea/coffee, as it can get pretty damp and miserable in the cold and wet months!

FAQs: Karangahake Gorge HIstoric Walkway.

Final thoughts: Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway.

If you’re looking for a good all-weather hiking trip then you can’t go wrong with the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway, which provides an ideal 4-5 hour walk exploring Karangahake Gorge gold mining history.

The track’s easy grade and popularity makes it ideal for hikers of all ages and abilities, and your furry friends are more than welcome as well!

By following the advice in this Karangahake Historic Walkway Guide, you’ll have a safe and enjoyable trip. But if you’d like to know anything else about this track feel free to contact me here or on Instagram.