The Ram and Ngatoro tracks create a wonderful forest walk on the flanks of Mt. Taranaki. This walk is perfect on day when you can’t go high on the mountain.
The highlight of Egmont National Park, at least for most people, is the summit. During the summer the summit can be walked in a good, long day. Some of the other popular, longer walks include the Pouakai Crossing, Pouakai Circuit, Pouakai Tarns from Mangorei Road, Fanthams Peak, or Lake Dive. Well, here is a great option if you only have half a day or the weather isn’t suitable for a walk high on the mountain.
Ram and Ngatoro Tracks – Mt. Taranaki’s Forest Walk
Highlights – Big trees, beautiful lowland and goblin forest, stream crossings, and heaps of native birds.
Location – Egmont National Park, off Egmont Road (towards North Egmont Visitor Centre).
Length of Walk – about 10 km, 4 hours for the loop.
Difficulty – Moderate
About The Ram and Ngatoro Tracks – Mt. Taranaki’s Forest Walk Loop
This is a great round trip track that takes in some of the wonderful native forest on the ring plain that surrounds Mt. Taranaki. The track meanders along, around, and crosses a few small, unbridged streams. Keep in mind that if there is heavy rain many of these streams may be impassable.
This loop track has two unique tracks that converge at North Egmont Visitor Centre – one on the left side of the road on one on the right side of the road. The track on the left side of the road is the Ngatoro Track. The track on the right side of the track is a combination of tracks, including the Ram track, You should consult a map to make sure you stay on the right tracks.
The vegetation on this forest walk changes as you ascend from the lower elevation near the Mangaoraka carpark to the North Egmont Visitor Centre. The lower part of the track is a beautiful, lush lowland forest with some giant ratas, rimus, tree ferns, and lots of supplejack. Then as you ascend towards the visitor centre you get into the goblin forest dominated by kamahi, mountain cedar, and mountain toatara trees.
The route I describe here starts from the Mangaoraka carpark, carefully crosses the road and starts up the Ram track. You will quickly enter the lush lowland forest.
40 minutes into the walk you will come to a fantastic lookout over the Waiwhakaiho river. This is the first break from being in the thick rainforest and it is super cool to have the view over the river and up to the mountain on a clear day.
50 minutes from the start brings you to a track junction that heads down to a swing bridge over the Waiwhakaiho River. It’s worth the detour as the bridge is cool and the views are impressive. Keep heading up and you will see the vegetation changing around you to the goblin forest.
About 1 hour 45 minutes brings you to the Veronica loop track junction and then another 15 minutes of undulating up and down terrain until you arrive at the North Egmont Visitor Centre.
From the visitor centre, the Ngatoro track begins at the bottom of the carpark. The track descends moderately down for a good hour or so before beginning to cut back across to the Mangaoraka carpark. There are several unbridged stream crossings along here too.
Insider’s Tips To The Ram and Ngatoro Tracks
There are heaps of native birds in the forest. Keep your eyes open for tomtits, grey warblers, tui, kereru, piwakawaka, and whio. Possibly if you’re lucky and pay attention on the Ngatoro track part of this walk you may see rifleman, and north island robin. There is a large block here that is intensively trapped, increasing the number of native birds seen in this area.
The swing bridge is totally worth the effort. It’s only a 5 minute detour, one-way, to the bridge from the junction (albeit it is down the whole way). The swing bridge is a good little adrenalin rush. This narrow bridge is suspended high over the river down below and has great views up towards the mountain. It can be a bit vertigo inducing to look down at the river or tops of the trees down below your feet through the wire bridge!
Start at the Mangaoraka carpark and head up the track on either side of the road. That way you can finish with some downhill. Also, you can take a break at the North Egmont Visitor Centre and have a snack or drink. There is a water fountain to refill your bottle at the Visitor Centre.
Very interesting! My boyfriend and I both unfit haha only got half way up the mountain ⛰ but never thought of exploring the lower flanks…perhaps worthy of another trip then. Loved the museums and galleries in New Plymouth!