Egmont National Park Overview

The majestic 2518m Mt. Taranaki (Mt. Egmont) dominates the sky, controls the weather, and leaves most visitors stunned by its sheer size. In 1881, everything within a 10km radius of the nearly symmetrical volcano was declared part of New Zealand’s second national park, reining in a vigorous logging boom. With more than 300km of tracks ranging from well-maintained roads to backcountry adventure, Mt. Taranaki remains the country’s most accessible national park.

Transportation

No public buses head to Egmont, though Cruise New Zealand Tours shuttles trampers daily from New Plymouth (☎758 3222; 7:30am, returns 4:30pm; $40 round-trip; booking essential), as does Taranaki Tours (☎0800 886 877; www.taranakitours.com; $40 round-trip). Guided trips offer transportation as well (see Outdoor Activities).

Orientation And Practical Information

Three paved roads enter the park but do not intersect: Egmont Road, from New Plymouth to the North Egmont Visitor Centre; Pembroke Road, from Stratford to the Manganui Ski Field; Manaia Road, from the Manaia or Stratford to the Dawson Falls Visitor Centre. A fourth road, Carrington Road, bisects the northern arm of the park between the Pouakai and Kaitake Ranges. The North Egmont Visitors Centre, on Egmont Rd. about 16km south of Egmont Village, is the port of entry for most of the park’s visitors. (☎756 0990; nevc@doc.govt.nz. Open daily 8am-4:30pm.) About 8km from the park entrance along the southern Manaia Rd., the Dawson Falls Visitors Centre has access to a few bushwalks. (☎027 443 0248. Open daily 8am-4:30pm. In winter W-Su 8:30am-4:30pm.)

Accommodations And Camping

Just 3km from the park boundary is the  Eco Inn (BBH) 2, 671 Kent Rd. The delightful owners build their own turbines and offer tasty organic treats in addition to treehouse accommodations. To reach this outpost, leave SH3 just west of Egmont Village and head southwest on Kent Rd. for 7km. (☎752 2765; www.ecoinn.co.nz. Singles $25; twins and doubles $48. Tent sites and treehouse $12.) East of Egmont Village on SH3, hop over to Missing Leg Backpackers (BBH) 1, 1082 Junction Rd. The name doesn’t derive from a horrific tramping incident, but rather from the three-legged pooch that used to reside at this lodge. (☎752 2570; www.missinglegbackpackers.co.nz. Call ahead for pickup. Free bike use. Free Internet. Dorms $18; doubles $44. Tent sites $12.)

Inside the national park, Camp House 2 is a sparse but popular accommodation only 50m from the North Egmont Visitors Centre. (☎0800 688 272; www.taranaki-bakpak.co.nz. Linen $5. Key deposit $10. $25, children $18.) If you are looking to do some serious mountaineering or climbing in the park, there are several club-owned and operated lodges. The Tahurangi Lodge at 1520m is a good place for a summit attempt (accessible from the North Egmont Visitors Center), while the Manganui Lodge (20 min. walk from East Egmont parking lot) and Kapuni Lodge (1hr. walk from the Dawson Falls Visitor Centre) are nearer trailheads. For all the lodges, prior bookings are essential; contact the North Egmont Visitors Centre (☎756 0990). Most huts charge $15 per person. Near the Dawson Falls Visitors Centre, the DOC runs the Konini Lodge 2. (☎0274 430 248. Bookings essential. $25, children $10.) Camping is not permitted outside the hut areas.

Outdoor Activities

Tramping In Egmont

There are endless trail options in Egmont; visit the DOC visitors centers at Northern Egmont or Dawson Falls to investigate the full range of options. Leaving from any of the main park entrances, Mt. Taranaki Around-the-Mountain Circuit (55km, 4-5 days)traverses the upper slopes of the volcano, affording expansive views of the surrounding farmland and coast on clear days. Natural erosion of the track makes for tricky walking and long days. Tall hiking boots are a must. The Pouakai Circuit (21km, 2-3 days) is a moderately difficult track with a rare variety of terrain, from rainforest to alpine; start at the North Egmont Visitors Centre and be appropriately prepared for backcountry conditions.

Those wary of tramping alone can call Ross Eden at Top Guides (☎0800 448 433 or 021 838 513; www.topguides.co.nz; 1-person summit trips $170, 2-person $225) or Don Paterson at Adventure Dynamics (☎751 3589; www.adventuredynamics.co.nz; summit trips from $300 per guide, per day). Or for those wary of heights, the Around Mt. Taranaki (☎0800 886 877; www.tarankitours.com.) van tour can offer a lowlanders view of the hulking hill

North Egmont. Well-prepared trampers might make the full-day trek to the Ahukawakawa Swamp, home to lichen, mosses, and microbes. For the less hardy, shorter dayhikes abound. One short-but-sweet walk, the Connet Loop Track (30min. round-trip), departs from the base of the North Egmont Visitors Centre and winds its way through the “Mountain Forest.” For a 1hr. bush experience, hit the Veronica Loop Track. Bells Falls, best reached from Holly Hut, is also worth checking out. The safest route to the summit of Taranaki begins from North Egmont, following “The Puffer” up to a translator tower. The track then passes Tahurangi Lodge, climbing through a gully and up a long scree-ridden ridge to the rock-scrambling summit block. Laugh heartily at scrawny Mt. Tongariro on the distant horizon. The north side of the volcano offers views of New Plymouth and beyond. The trip (8-10hr. round-trip) should not be attempted or even considered in winter or in otherwise questionable weather.

East Egmont And Dawson Falls. Roughly 20% of park visitors enter from the east by way of Stratford and the Stratford Mountain House, with access to the Manganui ski fields in winter and several trails in other seasons. You can attempt direct trips to the summit from this side, but the route is longer (1 day round-trip), and the trail rougher. The northern route up Taranaki is accessible from the ski fields by following the Around-the-Mountain Circuit north to the Tahurangi Lodge and connecting there with the summit climb. From the Dawson Falls Visitors Centre, you can hike to the Wilkies Pools (1-1hr. round-trip), a series of pools spilling into one another—be aware that the water is ice cold. The summit of Fanthams Peak (1966m) is also accessible from this side (5-6hr. round-trip). Syme Hut, on Fanthams Peak, is arguably the best place to watch the sun rise or set; however, the hut’s location means it’s also exposed to wind and ice.

Little-Known Egmont. To the north and west of the main peak lie the gentler slopes of the Kaitake and Pouakai Ranges. These old peaks are the volcanic ancestors of Taranaki, which once spewed lava and ash before being cut off from its magma source. The Pouakais are accessible via Carrington Rd. from New Plymouth and the Kaitakes from Lucy’s Gully and other trailheads off SH45.