Parau Track, Waitakere Ranges

Waitakere Ranges Regional Park

  • 3 hr 50 min – 5 hr loop track
  • Easy

This is a neat walk that offers lots of loop options and views from the ridge to the sea. It takes you through young kauri forest, to dams, and over some lovely streams. This describes one option for a 4 hour Sunday walk.

Parau Track, Waitakere Ranges: Key information
Walking time
0 – 1 day
3 hr 50 min – 5 hr
Distance
10.0km
Type
Loop track
Loop track
Grade
Easy
Bookings
No bookings — open access
No — open access
Parau Track, Waitakere Ranges: Find it
Starts
Parau. Go through Titirangi village, take left at roundabout. Just after you go through Laingholm and scoop underneath the Nihotupu Dam at Big Muddy Creek, you'll see a big parking area on the right. If you get to Cornwallis signs you've gone too far.
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Maps
NZTopo50-BB31
Altitude
Sea level – 360m
Altitude change 360m

NOTE: THIS LOOP CAN NO LONGER BE WALKED DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF NIHOTUPU RIDGE TRACK

Head up the Parau Track (look out for Californian Quail, orchids and mini manuka (20cm) with flowers already!) till you come to the Nihotupu track junction and take a right.

When you reach the "Summit track" sign, keep going straight (follow red tin markers), unless you want to make your trip longer and head up to Hamilton Saddle, down to the Huia Dam and back up the Parau track from that end (adds an extra 7 km).

There's a clear junction to lead you back on the Parau track to your car (turn left).

The clay is slippery, there have been pigs on the ridges making a mess, and the start of the track has HEAPS of bastardy climbing asparagus. If anyone wants a project , like get a group of people together to sort this out before it spreads further in), let me know and I can find some toxins to help.

For more info and directions: http://www.arc.govt.nz/arc/auckland-regional-parks/western-parks/huia.cfm

Map
This track needs a photograph.
ID 2303

About this track

Added 7 October 2007 by CarenCaren. 1 revision 24 December 2015 by BriarBriar.
93 views in the past year (8 per month).