Piha-ing Around Beginner - Intermediate
Submitted by Lucy Mills
Beginner - Intermediate
4:00 (Slow)
3:00 (Moderate)
2:00 (Fast)
-8.5%
+7.6%
Do your part to protect healthy kauri trees and prevent the spread of kauri dieback. Clean your footwear before and after visiting, and use the cleaning stations every time you pass one. Stay on the tracks and keep off kauri roots. Stay away from closed tracks.
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Description
Start at the Piha Domain and cross over the footbridge to South Piha. Navigate your way along Marine Parade South through the car park and surfers to the southern end (toilet facilities and carparking). Take the Tasman Lookout Track up with short side tracks to the Tasman lookout, the Gap viewpoint and the blow hole. Continue along the Link track to Taitomo Track which climbs steeply back up to Piha Road. Turn right on to Piha Road (be careful of the cars!) and continue climbing for about 700m until you arrive back at Te Ahuahu Road junction on your right. Follow the verge of the road for around 2k, watching out for cars.
Opposite the Karekare Road junction take Ussher track on the left and continue along the buttery smooth Winstone Track to the top of KiteKite Falls. At the next junction turn left, this brings you to the base of the falls where you can take as many Instagram-worthy selfies as you like. Once you're done continue down the Kitekite Track to Glenesk Road (toilet facilities and carpark here).
Head down Glenesk Road, turn right onto Seaview Road towards Piha Domain. Toilets, car parking and refreshment options. Once done continue on Seaview Road which becomes Marine Parade North and head towards North Piha. Jump onto the beach at this point and continue north. Just before the end of the breach, in the right hand corner where the bush comes down to the beach, take Laird Thomson Track onto Te Waha Point and continue along to the lookout point and seat for epic views. Follow Laird Thomson Track back along the ridge to the Rose Track junction.
Take the right hand track (road) to Anawhata Road (not down to Whites Beach). Follow this road up to Anawhata Road, turn right and almost straight away turn right off the road onto White Track. Follow White Track all the way down to the stream crossing (another good cool off spot) and on to Marawhara Walk. You pop out on to Marine Parade North, turn left and take the road (or beach again you're keen!) back into Piha.
Trail Community
Features of interest
Kitekite waterfalls. Plenty of native birds and bush. Kauri trees. Surfers and sex wax.
Make Up of Run
Untracked / Route only: 15%
Easy Single Track: 45%
Farm Road / 4WD Track: 10%
Sealed Road: 30%
Route Data
Reviews:
Overlapping Runs
The following trails overlap with this run to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate Strava activity for each
Piha Surf & Bush
Length: 20.60km
Photos:
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Access
As close to the Piha Cafe and General Store as you can find a park.
No public transport. Plenty of roadside parking, though it can get crowded in summer.
40 km
49 minutes
No
No
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Staying Safe
Easy.
Patchy.
Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map.
Lots of options in Piha but nothing really en route - carry your own.
Watch out for the stream crossings after heavy rain
Piha Road is often busy with little or nowhere to run except in the road - be careful!Streams and waterfalls can be prone to flooding after heavy rain
The smell of sexwax down at South Piha can be overwhelming on a hot day when the surf is up! -
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