Akatarawa Forest

Home , Kapiti Coast, Paekakariki

Hydro Valley and Whakatikei Road to Titi Road. Road. Titi to Road Whakatikei and Valley Hydro

Road from Upper Hutt Railway Station Railway Hutt Upper from Road

through exotic forest to the Whakatikei River and return by by return and River Whakatikei the to forest exotic through

access and horse riding please contact the ranger. the contact please riding horse and access

Take a No. 111 bus (Mon-Sat) to the end of Totara Park Park Totara of end the to (Mon-Sat) bus 111 No. a Take

a good climb to Titi Ridge via Perham’s Road. Descend Descend Road. Perham’s via Ridge Titi to climb good a

including most weekends. To discuss forest events, vehicle vehicle events, forest discuss To weekends. most including

Upper Hutt Upper

entrance this is is this entrance the From Maungakotukutuku Valley Maungakotukutuku

, , 5-day a has Forest Akatarawa The ranger service ranger

Rd); Tulsa Park or Valley View Road off Totara Park Rd, Rd, Park Totara off Road View Valley or Park Tulsa Rd);

(22 km return, 2-4 hours, medium) hours, 2-4 return, km (22 Loop Whakatikei

Ranger service service Ranger : Bridge Rd (off Akatarawa Akatarawa (off Rd Bridge : Via Cannon Point Walkway Point Cannon Via

and along the banks of the Hutt River. Hutt the of banks the along and

4WD trips are allowed into the Akatarawa Forest. Akatarawa the into allowed are trips 4WD - via Battle Hill Farm Forest Park, Paekakariki Hill Rd Hill Paekakariki Park, Forest Farm Hill Battle via -

panoramic views of the Hutt Valley. Return via Tulsa Grove Grove Tulsa via Return Valley. Hutt the of views panoramic

tracks. For safety and environmental reasons, no private private no reasons, environmental and safety For tracks. - Cooks Rd via Moonshine Rd and Bulls Run Rd Run Bulls and Rd Moonshine via Rd Cooks -

historic Birchville Dam then up to Cannon Point, giving giving Point, Cannon to up then Dam Birchville historic

GW runs a permit system for 4WD clubs on designated designated on clubs 4WD for system permit a runs GW

Off SH 58: SH Off

, the track follows the pipeline to the the to pipeline the follows track the , From Bridge Road Bridge

Non-motorised visitors: visitors: Non-motorised 4WD vehicles 4WD

(3-4 hours, moderate) hours, (3-4 Walkway Point Cannon

north of MacKays Crossing. MacKays of north we do not recommend horse riding there. riding horse recommend not do we

the river. Enjoy a dip in one of several deep pools. pools. deep several of one in dip a Enjoy river. the

: Maungakotukutuku Rd, via Waterfall Rd 1km 1km Rd Waterfall via Rd, Maungakotukutuku : Off SH1 Off . The Karapoti Gorge is heavily used by trail bikers so so bikers trail by used heavily is Gorge Karapoti The . Park

bush-clad gorge to McGhies Bridge and on to a clearing by by clearing a to on and Bridge McGhies to gorge bush-clad

Hutt Upper Rd, Akatarawa via Rd Karapoti : Off SH2 Off and and Battle Hill Farm Forest Forest Farm Hill Battle Valley Maungakotukutuku

, the track narrows through a a through narrows track the , from Starting Karapoti Road Karapoti

The best access points to the forest are via via are forest the to points access best The

All visitors: visitors: All

(3 hours return, easy) return, hours (3 Gorge Karapoti

How to get there get to How Horse riding Horse

What can you do here? do you can What are provided. provided. are

Wilderness camping is permitted but no camping facilities facilities camping no but permitted is camping Wilderness

biking. mountain and hunting tramping, biking,

timber and a recreational wilderness for 4WD clubs, trail trail clubs, 4WD for wilderness recreational a and timber Camping

of the forest as a future water supply area, a source of of source a area, supply water future a as forest the of

designated indigenous forest from our Upper Hutt office. office. Hutt Upper our from forest indigenous designated

Akatarawa River valley. Today GW still balances the needs needs the balances still GW Today valley. River Akatarawa

open country. Collect a map and permit to hunt in the the in hunt to permit and map a Collect country. open

McGhies Road to gain views over the forest-clad West West forest-clad the over views gain to Road McGhies

heavy bush. Goats and pigs occur at low altitudes in more more in altitudes low at occur pigs and Goats bush. heavy

Trampers in 1948 used a logging access route along along route access logging a used 1948 in Trampers

Deer are found throughout Akatarawa Forest, mostly in in mostly Forest, Akatarawa throughout found are Deer

The forest has a long shared use with outdoor recreation. recreation. outdoor with use shared long a has forest The

Hunting cost of supplying water to the growing cities. growing the to water supplying of cost

Regional Council (GW). Log and timber sales offset the the offset sales timber and Log (GW). Council Regional

wetlands.

Water Supply Board – a predecessor of Greater Wellington Wellington Greater of predecessor a – Board Supply Water

zones (rivers and stream margins), stream beds and and beds stream margins), stream and (rivers zones

later, this was vested in the Wellington City and Suburban Suburban and City Wellington the in vested was this later,

Titi and Wainui, the upper Akatarawa Valley and riparian riparian and Valley Akatarawa upper the Wainui, and Titi

established Akatarawa State Forest No 26. Fourteen years years Fourteen 26. No Forest State Akatarawa established

including the summits of Mounts Barton, Maunganui, Maunganui, Barton, Mounts of summits the including

In 1919 the State Forest Service acquired 2,228 acres and and acres 2,228 acquired Service Forest State the 1919 In

No trail biking is permitted in ecologically sensitive zones zones sensitive ecologically in permitted is biking trail No

tram lines, trucks and discarded machinery in the forest. forest. the in machinery discarded and trucks lines, tram

motocross, and competitive riding are not permitted. not are riding competitive and motocross,

a tram track with wooden rails. Today you can still see old old see still can you Today rails. wooden with track tram a

30kph in the forest. Casual off-road racing, scrambling, scrambling, racing, off-road Casual forest. the in 30kph

Access was via Karapoti Road which was formed in 1911 as as 1911 in formed was which Road Karapoti via was Access

available free from our Upper Hutt office. Do not exceed exceed not Do office. Hutt Upper our from free available

logging and sawmilling moved into the Akatarawa area. Akatarawa the into moved sawmilling and logging

All casual trail bikes must have individual permits permits individual have must bikes trail casual All During 1900-1920 many families who were associated with with associated were who families many 1900-1920 During

Trail biking Trail significantly, logging native timber. native logging significantly,

settlement, through introducing animals, fires and, most most and, fires animals, introducing through settlement,

to Akatarawa Road. Road. Akatarawa to

The indigenous forest changed greatly following European European following greatly changed forest indigenous The

Gorge Karapoti via Exit Bridge. McGhies to down forest

Kapiti Coast. Coast. Kapiti Woolshed Road through pine plantations, then native native then plantations, pine through Road Woolshed

and Valley Hutt the between trail access an as well View Road then turn left on Airstrip Drive. Go right down down right Go Drive. Airstrip on left turn then Road View

Maori used the forest for hunting and food gathering as as gathering food and hunting for forest the used Maori

Bridge and climb to Cannon Point Trig. Remain on Valley Valley on Remain Trig. Point Cannon to climb and Bridge

“Akataarawa” - ‘trailing vines’ or ‘vine of the Tarawa’. Tarawa’. the of ‘vine or vines’ ‘trailing - “Akataarawa”

just over the Totara Park Park Totara the over just onto left Turn Valley View Road View Valley

There are two known translations of the name name the of translations known two are There

(25 km return, 3-5 hours, medium) medium) hours, 3-5 return, km (25

History

Loop View-Karapoti Valley

Caring for your forest Pack in and pack out. Take your rubbish home and recycle it where possible. Do not remove, disturb or damage native plants or animals Akatarawa Light no fires. You may bring a portable gas stove Keep your dog under control at all times. Forest Bury toilet waste away from streams and rivers. Poison may be laid in the forest to control possums. Do not remove any warning notice, or disturb baits, lures or carcasses.

Rugged Isolation Water, air, earth and energy: elements in Greater Wellington’s logo combine to create and sustain life. Greater Wellington promotes Covering nearly 15,500 hectares between Upper Hutt and the Kapiti Coast, the Akatarawa Forest is a mix of native Quality for Life by ensuring our environment is protected while and exotic forest broken by steep valleys and river gorges. meeting the economic, cultural and social needs of the community. Mountain, quad and trail bikers find a variety of routes along the tracks and old logging roads. The forest is the venue for the internationally renowned Karapoti Classic mountain bike ride.

Also popular for horse riding, fishing, hunting and Photo of view from Cannon Point by Jessica Dewsnap. tramping, the Akatarawa Forest provides enjoyable and Photo of Karapoti Classic mountain bike race by www.karapoti.co.nz testing terrain for 4WD-vehicle club trips. For your safety MORE INFORMATION Take extreme care on all tracks and roads. They are used by logging trucks, 4WDs and trail bikes as well as trampers, Ranger – Akatarawa Forest mountain bikers and horse riders. Some are not sign-posted Greater Wellington Parks & Forests or maintained. There is no cellphone coverage in the forest. 1056 Fergusson Drive P O Box 40847 Upper Hutt Check the weather forecast before your trip P 04 526 5343 Leave your intentions with someone F 04 526 4171 M 027 248 1658 Keep to marked tracks unless you know the area E [email protected]

Take a copy of NZMS260 map 26 and a compass Metlink (for public transport timetables and fares) T 801 7000 or 0800 801 700 (Kapiti and Wairarapa) Take adequate warm waterproof clothing and food www.metlink.org.nz

GW/PFSM-G-06/75 www.gw.govt.nz Published June 2006 RAUMATI

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