Puhinui Stream Forest TrailBeginner

Description

This run is great Auckland urban hot weather option as you are under a dense canopy 90% of the time
It starts from the carpark, take the bridal trail on the right hand side of the carpark for 200m until you arrive at the entrance to the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail on your right. Follow the single track until you arrive at a large set of steps on your left, go up the stairs or alternatively there is a switchback trail to the right of the stairs. Either way you arrive in the same place at the top.

Continue until you are about 1.5kms into the run and you arrive back on the bridal trail, exit the track and go uphill on the bridal trail for 200m. Go straight through the 1st gate and take a right through the 2nd gate down past the playground. From here you are back on single trail, the next 1/2km there are alot of side tracks so pay careful attention to the signage. Once you have crossed the bridge over the stream and gone up the killer stairs you are half way and from here the track loops back to the start.

This run can be repeated to add distance or the park offers about 25-30 kms of other tracks to make up a longer run. It is easy to blast this run on the fast fully runnable highly maintained tracks but I suggest to take time to absorb the diversity of the bush.

Features of interest

For being surrounded by urban South Auckland,Totara Park - and specifically this trail - has a dense concentration of native trees and active birdlife.
Totara Park is a neighbour and shares some tracks with the Auckland Botanical Gardens.

The native bush at Totara Park is an example of the rich variety of vegetation that once covered the south Auckland area. Large native tree species include pūriri, tōtara, rimu, taraire, tawa, kahikatea and kauri. Along the trails many specimens are labelled for easy identification. You will find māpou, māhoe, thick clusters of nĪkau palms and tree ferns. Lower down, kawakawa, putaputawētā and mingimingi can be found. The bush floor supports many types of ferns, mosses and fungi. Vines of puawānanga, a native clematis provide profuse displays of white starry flowers on treetops in spring. The network of streams throughout the farm park are being replanted with native species as part of an ongoing regeneration programme.
Totara Park is home to a variety of bird habitats. Amongst the native bush you may hear or see pigeon (kererū), shining cuckoo, morepork, fantail, grey warbler, tūı and kākā. The open pasture is home to pheasant, harrier hawk, pipit , yellowhammer, chaffinch and starling. Near streambeds or wetlands you may see pūkeko, kingfisher mallard duck, pied shags black shags

Make Up of Run

Easy Single Track: 90%

Gravel Road: 10%

Route Data