Pakihi Track

The Pakihi is an historic track, that a century ago was hoped to become a road. Fortunately, that failed! A wonderful, spectacular outing in remote forest. It's only 30min drive from Opotiki though, and you can run as little or much as you want, so this track is suitable for all abilities/ages.

Starting from the northern/Opotiki end, you kick off at 100m altitude and gradually climb to 600m. The first 9km is alongside the Pakihi Stream, then you climb up through forest. There is a basic DOC hut at half way.

You can see (if you take the time to look!) signs that this is an historic track.

Alongside the midway suspension bridge, there are remnants of historic bridge abutments. Higher up, the track is cut through ridge-tops, as was typical to maintain an even gradient.

The Pakihi was cut by hand from about 1906-1914. It follows the general direction of Te Kowhai track, a route used by Maori.

Transport and parking:

Parking and toilets at both ends of the track. The Opotiki/northern entrance is at the end of the unsealed Pakihi Road.
From Opotiki, start heading south on SH2. On the outskirts of town, turn left onto Otara Rd. This has a sign to Bushaven. The road veers south, then heads for the hills. There's about 10km of sealed road, then the road turns to gravel. (Do not turn off onto Tutaetoko Rd or Otara East Rd!)

After 3km of gravel, the road forks. Turn left on the Pakihi Rd. Do not turn right up Te Waiti, unless you want to go to the Te Waiti track (which will be in another entry), or accommodation and camping at Bushaven.

From where the road forks, it is 7km to the road end. Lights on! Go slow! The road is narrow and does carry traffic. Help us keep the support of locals. Go slow! At the road end, there is plenty of space to park and a shelter.

(There are two shuttle companies servicing the Motu Trails. If you have a group, they can drop you off. If you are fit, a good suggestion is to get dropped off at 'the boundary line' at the Motu Road Hilltop. This is the usual cyclist dropoff. You will get 9km of largely downhill gravel road, then the 21km of the track. If you are staying at Bushaven, you could even run on there, for a 45km day)

Distance from Opotiki:

25 km

Driving time from Opotiki:

33 minutes

Dog friendly:

Unknown

Landowner permission required:

No

Navigation Rating:

Easy.

Navigation Tips:

Once you are at the track, it would be hard to go wrong. There are no side tracks aside from a short detour to the hut.

However, this is backcountry! There is no mobile reception and out of season, few people. Take a PLB, available for hire from the Opotiki i-SITE from $15. Take all emergency stuff, you must be self-sufficient.

Go to the i-SITE in Opotiki, Gisborne or Whakatane, for a free Motu Trails map brochure. Or visit www.motutrails.co.nz. Or email Jim at Motu Trails Charitable Trust on jim@motutrails.co.nz

Cellphone Coverage:

Non-existent.

Suggested Gear List:

Thermal leggings, Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Survival bag, Cellphone, Map.

Availability of Water:

Plentiful side streams. Best not to drink from the main river. In summer, the upper (southern) half of the track only has a few places to drink.

Seasonality Issues:

In winter, the upper/Motu Rd end can get misty and cold, and occasionally snow. The track is predominantly very well draining. You will get muddy feet if it's wet, but there are no bogs.

Hazards:

The eastern BOP gets very heavy rain at times. In storms, the track becomes a spectacular water-world of spray, drips and waterfalls. In extremely heavy rain (100mm + in 12 hrs) it's best to delay your run, as the rocky banks are prone to slipping. There are no river crossings, unless the Pakihi goes into a high flood. Treat it with utmost caution.

Be aware, this is a shared use track. Please stand aside for bikers, it's easier for you to do so than them. Smile, say hi, share the love, the track is for all of us!

Hot Bread Shop
Opotiki
http://www.motutrails.co.nz
Coffee before, food after, mmmmm. They are official partners to Motu Trails. Their membership helps support Motu Trails Charitable Trust. Without that, there would be no map, and a lot less support for the trails.

Bushaven/Motu Trails Hire & Shuttle
Te Waiti
http://www.motutrails.co.nz
Bushaven/Motu Trails Hire & Shuttle offer accommodation, camping, shuttles, bike hire etc. They are also official partners. They are ideally placed, being only 10km from the track entrance.

weka wilds
Pakihi track end
http://www.motutrails.co.nz
You can't stay closer to the Pakihi Track than this! Weka Wilds are official partners to the trails so they help us. But get this ... if you have a group, Christian makes and bakes the most wicked pizza. Stay at Weka Wilds, do the run, chill out with mean pizza made with fresh ingredients. Chur bro!