Ridge Track (unmarked)
- 0.3 mi
- round trip
- 251 ft
- climb
- 4,289 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Ridge Track (unmarked) is an out-and-back trail, 0.3 miles each way (0.6 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand, inside Tongariro National Park. It runs between about 4,040 ft and 4,290 ft above sea level, with roughly 250 ft of climbing one way. It is a well-made walking path, fine for most hikers. The nearest town is Waimarino, about 8.3 miles east of the trailhead. Punaruku Falls and Taranaki Falls are within about 3 miles. For camping, Whakapapa Holiday Park and Discovery Lodge Tongariro are within about 6 miles. There are 7 other mapped trails within about 3 miles, so you can combine or extend the outing. Distances, elevations and the route shape here come from OpenStreetMap and the Copernicus 90 m elevation model. Trails, access rules and conditions change, so check locally before you go.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Javier Sánchez Portero, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Mount Ngāuruhoe Summit Route
~11 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 1.0 miles each way (2.0 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
Photo: ogwen, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Tongariro Alpine Crossing
~12 min drive
A 12-mile point-to-point route in Waikato, New Zealand.
HIKE
Upper Tama Lakes Track
~5 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 2.6 miles each way (5.2 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
Photo: Eusebius@Commons, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Mount Tongariro Summit Route
~12 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 0.9 miles each way (1.8 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
HIKE
Ridge Walk
Next door
An out-and-back trail, 0.5 miles each way (0.9 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
HIKE
Dome Summit Track
~6 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 1.9 miles each way (3.8 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
Photo: Pseudopanax at en.wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)Tokaanu Geothermal Walk
~35 min drive
A 0.4-mile loop in Waikato, New Zealand.
HIKE
Whakapapanui Walk
Next door
An out-and-back trail, 1.8 miles each way (3.7 miles round trip) in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
Photo: Jesselawtonnz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Waipakihi Middle Range Route
~39 min drive
An out-and-back trail, 1.2 miles each way (2.4 miles round trip) in Waikato, New Zealand.
HIKE
Lower Taranaki Falls Track
~2 min drive
A 2.0-mile point-to-point route in Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand.
Also worth it near here
Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Whakapapa Holiday Park
Next door
Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Whakapapa Holiday Park cabins and lodge
Next door
Photo: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Taranaki Falls
~2 min drive
Photo: Travel & Shit from Brighton, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Saddle Cone
~5 min drive
Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Mount Ruapehu: Dome Summit Track (from Sky Waka Gondola gondola station)
~6 min drive
Conditions and forecast
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at Ridge Track (unmarked) for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
