Waikato · Hiking

Waterwheel

0.4 mi
round trip: 325 ft
climb: 467 ft
high point: Out and back
route

Waterwheel is an out-and-back trail, 0.4 miles each way (0.9 miles round trip) in Waikato, New Zealand, inside Hūnua Ranges Regional Park. It runs between about 380 ft and 470 ft above sea level, with roughly 160 ft of climbing one way. Most of the way is gravel. The nearest town is Kaiaua, about 7.1 miles west of the trailhead. Peaks within about 3 miles include Mangatangi, Pukapuka and Neary Peak. For camping, Mangatangi Trig Campsite and Lower Mangatawhiri Campground are within about 6 miles. There are 19 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.

Nearby · Te Araroa - 03 Waikato - a Mercer to Rangiriri · Pukapuka Track · Te Araroa - 03 Waikato - b Rangiriri to Huntly

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Photo: Pegler, Auckland Weekly News, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Te Araroa - 03 Waikato - a Mercer to Rangiriri

~22 min drive

A 16-mile point-to-point route in Waikato, New Zealand.

HIKE

Pukapuka Track

~2 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 3.8 miles each way (7.5 miles round trip) in Waikato, New Zealand.

Photo: Johnragla, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Te Araroa - 03 Waikato - b Rangiriri to Huntly

~37 min drive

A 9.9-mile point-to-point route in Waikato, New Zealand.

HIKE

Wairoa Loop Track

~4 min drive

A 3.8-mile loop in Auckland, New Zealand.

HIKE

Rocky's Roots

Next door

An out-and-back trail, 0.4 miles each way (0.7 miles round trip) in Waikato, New Zealand.

HIKE

Rata Ridge Track

~6 min drive

A 2.0-mile loop in Waikato, New Zealand.

HIKE

Devoloution

Next door

An out-and-back trail, 0.3 miles each way (0.6 miles round trip) in Waikato, New Zealand.

HIKE

Puhinui Stream Forest Trail

~28 min drive

A 6.1-mile point-to-point route in Auckland, New Zealand.

HIKE

Pipeline

~1 min drive

An out-and-back trail, 0.5 miles each way (0.9 miles round trip) in Waikato, New Zealand.

HIKE

Te Ara Hura

~35 min drive

A 51-mile loop in Auckland, New Zealand.

Also worth it near here

SEE

Piggotts Hut

~6 min drive

RIDE

Mangatawhiri Challenge MTB Track

~6 min drive

Photo: Avenue, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hūnua Falls

~9 min drive

Photo: Joe Dillon, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kaiaua Boat Club

~12 min drive

Photo: Joe Dillon, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kaiaua Boat Ramp

~12 min drive

Conditions and forecast

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at Waterwheel for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.