Access

The Manganuku Camping Area is signposted just after the Manganuku Bridge 48 km from Opotiki on the left hand side. The start of the track is signposted to the right from the far side of the Manganuku Howe Truss Bridge.

Track

Both Manganuku Tracks start at the Manganuku Camping Area, a DoC administered campground with a barbecue area, picnic tables, toilets and running water. The camp is self-registering and lies on the banks of the Manganuku Stream, occupying a sunny clearing between the old and new Manganuku bridges.

The track is always on a gentle gradient as it partners the Manganuku Stream up its course. Excavated into the often precipitous valley side, the rocky track is high above the stream. The walled gorge echoes the sounds of the running water.

Occasional waterfalls cross the track and may provide a brief invigorating shower in times of higher flow. The track also narrows in certain places and requires care to avoid the steep drop below.

Through the tawa and tree fern canopy, frequent glimpses of the Manganuku Stream show large boulders and massive logs, some bridging the watercourse. These huge objects lend weight to the imagination of what force the stream carries when in flood – the steep watershed concentrating the forces.

After approximately 1¼ hours there is a narrow section of track overlooking a sharp bend in the stream. This is a suitable place for refreshment, although it is only another 20 minutes to the Little Manganuku Stream and the shady termination of the track.