Description

From the Kaniwhaniwha car park, follow the Nikau Walk to Bell Track.

Past the Kaniwhaniwha Caves the track becomes undulating, with some uneven ground and muddy sections along Blue Bull Stream up to the swingbridge.

Don't cross the swingbridge but continue upstream for 10 minutes beyond the bridge to the kahikatea tree with its distinctive buttressed trunk. At 66.5 m, this is the tallest recorded native tree in New Zealand.

Bell Track continues to the summit across the swingbridge. 

Getting There

Access this track from from Limeworks Loop Road.

From Hamilton take SH23 to Whatawhata. Turn left onto Te Pahu Road after the bridge over the Waipa River. Limeworks Loop Road is about 10.6 km on the right.

Know Before You Go

This track is a long day walk (6 hours, 12km return). Pack everything on the day hike packing list, including a waterproof raincoat, warm clothes and spare food. Put a torch plus extra batteries in your bag – these are very helpful for if the walk takes longer than you expect and it starts to get dark.

Because of poorly drained soils, the tracks can be very muddy, especially after rain. We recommend sturdy shoes with good grip.

If you plan to explore Kaniwhaniwha Caves, take a torch and spare batteries, and expect that it will be wet underfoot. You can walk through the 20-metre-long main cave, but note there is a short hands-and-knees crawl. The second smaller cave is tight and narrow. There are sections that may be a squeeze to get through (for example, you may need to remove your backpack).

Check the Pirongia Mountain weather forecast – NIWA website 

All content and images courtesy of Department of Conversation