Walking

Walking trails are Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park's main feature. Take a stroll through the farmland and enjoy the panoramic coastal views. 

The main and most well-known walking track is from the carpark, located on Poplar Lane, to the trig station (at 224 metres). This track leads through pine forest, native bush and open grassland and showcases the terracing on several pa sites and breathtaking views from the top. It takes about 45 minutes and rises relatively steeply. You will find an information board at the car park that provides further information about the park.

There are several other tracks which allow you to explore the cultural heritage of the park and make the most of the expansive views, with most tracks leading you to each of the six pa sites within the Park boundary. 

Getting here

From Tauranga

• Travel east on State Highway 2 towards Whakatāne. About 1 kilometre past the Pāpāmoa/Bell Road turn-off on the left, turn right into Poplar Lane. The carpark access is on the right, before you reach the quarry gate.
• Distance from Tauranga: 20 kilometres (20 minutes)

From Rotorua

• Travel towards Te Puke via State Highway 33. The Park is 5 kilometres after Te Puke on the left. Turn left from State Highway 2 into Poplar Lane.
• Distance from Rotorua: 65 kilometres (45 minutes)

From Whakatāne

• Follow State Highway 2 towards Tauranga. The Park is 5 kilometres after Te Puke on the left
• Distance from Whakatāne: 80 kilometres (60 minutes)

Take extra care when driving along Poplar Lane as it is frequently used by quarry trucks moving to and from the quarry located at the end of the lane. Do not walk along Poplar Lane to access the Regional Park

Park Rules

Due to the high number of archaeological and cultural sites located within the Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park activites have been restricted to passive recreation.

• No dogs permitted at all times.
• No camping.
• No motorbikes.
• No mountain biking.
• No horse trekking.
• No fires.
• Rubbish free park - care for our environment and take your rubbish home with you.

Things to note

• Remember sunscreen and a hat for sunny days and although most tracks are well formed, good walking shoes are recommended, as is a reasonable level of fitness.
• Take a bottle of water with you as there is no drinking water supply in the Park.
• There is an information board at the car park that provides further information about using the park.
• The Park is also an operational farm. Remember to always leave gates the way you found them.

The Pāpāmoa Hills Upgrade project is scheduled for implementation in 2021, which will see the entrance upgraded and landscaped with increased capacity and better safety features, improved interpretation and signs and improved recognition of the cultural and historic features of the park.