Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023

Beginner - Intermediate

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I've done it Done

Sweetwater Lakes

Kaitaia, Northland

Submitted by Mike Tennent

Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023

Beginner - Intermediate

Save Trail Save

I've done it Done

Grunt Factor: 24 ?

Gnarl Factor: 51 ?

19.0km

225m

225m

71m

  

  

  

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Trail Map

Type of Run

Front country - easily accessible

Combo

Undulating, small hills only

Native bush

Plantation/exotic forest

Lakeside

Open farmlands

Run Makeup

2%
8%
30%
10%
10%
40%

Gravel Road

Farm Road / 4WD Track

Easy Single Track

Moderate Single Track

Technical Single Track

Untracked / Route only

Average Uphill Gradient: +0.7%

Average Downhill Gradient: -1.9%

Trailhead

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Estimated Times to Run

3:00

Slow

2:10

Moderate

1:40

Fast

Enter through the gate next to the sign, head to the right of the paddock and around to the back, you will then see two orange top poles to your left. Follow them and then to the gate in the very back left of the paddock. Then follow the orange triangles up the hill, then to the right ... after a couple of hundred metres you will come onto a farm road and go left.

Just before the next gate there is an unmarked grass track to the left this is at about 1.2km.Then follow the orange markers down and around the first lake (Lake Rotorua). As you leave that lake turn left before the gate and follow the orange markers along the fenceline (and up)... shortly you will come to the top of the hill and look down on Lake Heather. Follow the grass and more orange triangles to the left and around the end of the lake.

You will come to a stile. Cross there and keep following the same fence. In a while you will reach a fencepost with double triangles on it... look left and you will see a marker post in the paddock... follow the post through the paddock and into the pine plantation, around the end of the swamp and on through the pines - ignore the two 4wd tracks off to the left. As you climb the stile at the edge of the forest you head down and to the left and you are at Lake Ngatu.

Head left onto a mix of single trail and grass and just a touch of gravel road for 4km right around the lake and then re-trace your steps to the start. 

Three lakes: Lake Rotoroa, Lake Heather and the largest - Lake Ngatu. Lots of different to norm trail and grass tracks.

If you know of any public toilets near the trail start or on the route, please login and then let us know so we can update this section.

Just by the road - parking on a very quiet country gravel road.

12 km

13 minutes

Unknown

No

Moderate.

Take your time.

Generally good.

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

Not sure if they are freshwater lakes... pretty sure they are... in which case there is plenty of water.

Being on a sand base I would imagine it stays pretty dry all year round.

Quite a lot of the run is on medium to long grass which can disguise holes.... so be careful.

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