The around the mountain track that circles Mt. Taranaki is no walk in the park. This multi-day walk is a fun, challenging walk in the Taranaki area.
Mt. Egmont National Park is a fantastic, beautiful area centered around the towering volcano called Mt. Egmont or Mt. Taranaki. The area has heaps of day or multi-day walks. In the past we’ve walked Fantham’s Peak, Henrys Peak the Pouakai Crossing or Ahukawakawa crossing. We finally got the courage and time to tackle the around the mountain track.
Around The Mountain Track Overview
Highlights – Amazing views of Mt. Taranaki and the surrounding coast, native forest, cliffs, rivers, and waterfalls.
Location – There are a variety of trailheads around the entire mountain. You can choose to start wherever you want, but most people start at the DOC visitor center at either Dawson Falls or North Egmont. Then you need to decide which way around the mountain you’ll walk.
Length of Walk – 52 km, 2 – 5 days
Difficulty – moderate to difficult. The trails on the eastern side of the mountain are well developed and easy to walk. In contrast, the trails on the west side are a bit wild and tough. Thus, on the east side you can cover a long distance fast, but on the west side it will take you a long time to cover a few kms.
Around The Mountain Track Logistics and FAQ
5 Day Walk Itinerary
Here is the 5 day walk that we took, staying at 4 huts. We started at North Egmont and walked to Dawson Falls, before climbing up to Kapuni Hut (8 hours – Note, Kapuni Hut is private, but can be booked in advance by the public). From there we had a long day up, around and then down to the Waiaua Gorge hut (8 hours). The next day we chose for a short day over to Kahui Hut (4 hours). That was followed by another short day to Holly Hut (5 hours) and the final day was a short 3 1/2 hours back to our car at North Egmont.
How Many Huts Are On The Mountain?
There are huts spread all around the mountain, including a couple of private ones. This means that you do have some options as to where you stay each night. Kapuni Lodge is private, but can be booked through the Mt. Egmont Alpine Club. The DOC huts are all first come first serve and can’t be booked ahead of time, but do require hut tickets or a backcountry hut pass. You can buy the hut tickets or backcountry hut pass at the DOC visitor centers or at the iSite in New Plymouth.
Is There Water At The Huts?
Yes, all of the huts have water. They collect rainwater from the roofs and tend to have water available. DOC recommends that the water be boiled before drinking to be safe. I would suggest you contact DOC before your walk to confirm that there is water at all of the huts, especially if it’s been a long, hot, dry summer.
Which is the best way to walk around the mountain?
This track can be walked in either direction, clockwise or anti-clockwise. We chose to walk clockwise from North Egmont because we wanted to get the longer days over with sooner.
What Is The Hardest Part Of The Track?
The longest day is from Dawson Falls to Waiaua Gorge Hut. That is a long, tough day that takes around 8 – 9 hours. The views on that day are among some of my favourite from the whole walk. However, it’s a long day and the trail is challenging. The trail goes up and down, dodging holes, scrambling up tussock, down gullies, across boulders, and finally into the forest.
My Insider Tips For The Around The Mountain Track
You Will Get Your Feet Wet
There are numerous stream crossings on the west side of the mountain. As I said again and again, the west side is tough. You are walking in the forest the whole time and there are lots of streams. Many of them are bypassed with foot bridges, but you will still have to cross many. We did the walk in the autumn, when it was dry, and we still had to get our feet wet about 10 times.
It is much easier and safer to just walk in the water and get your feet wet then to try and balance precariously on rocks. You will cross faster by wading and you won’t risk a fall and potential serious problem if you hurt yourself or get your gear all wet.
Holly Hut Gets Busy
Holly Hut is probably the busiest hut on the mountain, but it’s also the biggest. If you are planning on spending the night at Holly Hut and you need a bunk, then you should try to arrive early afternoon to give you the best chance of getting a bunk.
Bring Sleeping Pad Or Tent
Bring along a tent or sleeping pad. Unlike the Great Walks, you can’t book any of the huts. That means that you have no idea if you will find a bunk when you arrive or if it will be full. If you have a sleeping pad you can always sleep on the floor if the bunks are all taken. Or if you have a tent you can set it up outside near the hut somewhere.