Voted 67th of the 101 Must Do's for Kiwis
The stunning Kaueranga Valley, located upriver from Thames is one of New Zealand’s true hidden treasures. Of the many popular historic walks in the foothills of the valley, the Pinnacles walk rates as one of New Zealand’s most popular overnighters, with an 80 bed DoC hut often booked out well in advance.
The Pinnacles Walk follows the original steps constructed for packhorses which carried supplies for kauri loggers, gum diggers and gold miners who plundered the area in the early 1900’s.
The stunning 3 hour walk to the base of the craggy Pinnacles traverses through groves of nikau palms, huge rata trees, and across streams and swingbridges. Crossing the streams you can imagine the roar of huge torrents of water and logs rushing past as the kauri dams upstream were released sending thousands of huge kauri logs downstream towards Thames.
Overnighting at the Pinnacles Hut is five star luxury as far as back country camping goes and sitting outside at night you can hear kiwi and morepork call and watch the mist gather over the Pinnacles above.
An early start the next morning will see you clambering carefully up the peak of the Pinnacles to see some of the first rays of sun hitting the Pacific Ocean and offshore islands of the Coromandel. You’ll want a good head for heights but will be rewarded with 360 degree panoramic views of both coasts of the Coromandel, the Bay of Plenty, Hauraki Gulf and Plains.
On the return walk you can follow the Billygoat tramline which also transported logs from the hills, past the Short Trestle and Billygoat falls before emerging back at the Kaueranga River.
Reaching the summit of the Pinnacles should be something every Kiwi does at least once!
Click here to find out more about the walks up the Kaueranga Valley
