Five Spectacular New Zealand Walks for 2026

In the relaxed pace of New Zealand’s eastern Bay of Plenty, the town of Ōpōtiki offers stunning coastal and forest trails — beyond the visitor crowds.

Ōpōtiki is gateway to Motu Trails, one of the 23 Great Rides of Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails [https://www.nzcycletrail.com]. While Motu Trails [https://www.motutrails.co.nz] is headlined as a neat set of cycle trails, both the Dunes Trail and Pakihi Track sections are equally impressive when experienced on foot. In fact, both these trails see as many people walking as biking.

Ōpōtiki also offers several shorter walks, alongside the spectacular Pacific Ocean coast and exploring pockets of massive, lush coastal ngāhere (forest). Hukutaia Domain and Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park are two of the finest.   

These trails are all free to use. The drive from Tauranga and Rotorua is just over 130km, and from Whakatane it’s 44km. Ōpōtiki trails make an ideal stopover attraction if you’re aiming to road-trip State Highway 35 [https://www.exploretheeastcape.co.nz/] or State Highway 2 Waioweka gorge to Tairāwhiti Gisborne [https://tairawhitigisborne.co.nz/].

For more information, maps, accommodation bookings, hire bikes, contact Ōpōtiki isite Visitor Information Centre [https://www.isite.nz/find-an-isite/listing/opotiki-i-site-visitor-information-centre]. For latest trail conditions email Motu Trails Charitable Trust on [info@motutrails.co.nz]

Pakihi Track

Pakihi Track is the forest adventure section of Motu Trails. The track first opened around 1906 and since the early-1990s has been known as an iconic New Zealand mountain bike ride. Once a gnarly effort, the track was fully restored in 2011-12 with the addition of 25 bridges. It is enthusiastically maintained by Motu Trails Charitable Trust.

For mountain biking, Pakihi track is rated grade four/advanced, largely reflecting numerous exposed drops to the side, and the general isolation. However, for hiking, the track is well-formed, with no steps or steep pitches. It’s a popular family outing.

Still, the track is in remote and dynamic backcountry with no mobile coverage, so to walk any distance, it is important to be prepared, especially in winter (talk to Ōpōtiki isite for advice).

The forest is stunning. The lower 9km of the track follows Pakihi stream, the upper 11km is high in the hills, but there are many side-streams; this is rainforest with ferns and mosses all the way.

Pakihi Track has a trapping programme to remove rats, stoats and weasels, supporting the native manu (birds) you may see: North Island robin/toutouwai, North Island tomtit/miromiro, whitehead/pōpokotea, longtailed cuckoo/koekoeā and, if you are lucky, blue duck/whio.

Walking or running, the track is two-way. You can get a drop-off at the top and walk the whole 20.3km, a day trip that can be split into a relaxed overnighter, by staying at Pakihi hut [https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/east-coast/places/urutawa-conservation-area/things-to-do/pakihi-hut/].

Most commonly, walkers start at Pakihi Road end, 23km from Ōpōtiki (a 35-minute drive with gravel road). From the road end, walk up to the hut and back (18km return), or simply walk up as far as you choose. For fit and prepared trail runners, a blast to the track top and back is almost exactly marathon distance.

Dunes Trail

Starting in Ōpōtiki, the Dunes Trail is an easy, wide trail along the coastal dunes. From almost every rise, you are rewarded with expansive Pacific Ocean views. Much of the duneland benefits from extensive planting and trapping.

The Dunes Trail can be accessed from multiple points off SH35. For a short wander, head to Hukutaia beach or Tirohanga beach, from where the trail runs very close to, or even over, the beach.

Close to Ōpōtiki, Pākihikura Harbour Trail is a short side-trip out to a new seawall, from where you can enjoy sweeping sea views in all directions.

Hukutaia Domain

Just 8km south of Ōpōtiki, Hukutaia Domain [https://bayconservation.nz/member/hukutaia-domain-care-group/] is a five-hectare protected remnant of magnificent lowland forest. At the heart is Taketakerau, a 2000-year-old pūriri tree of monumental proportion — not especially high but the girth is over 20 metres.

Hukutaia is wāhi tapu (sacred) for the people of Te Ūpukorehe. Care of the forest is in partnership with local conservationists.

The domain can be explored on short, well-formed walking trails. You can walk right around in 10 minutes so slow down instead and feel the presence of trees that have been standing for lifetimes. Ideal on a hot day as the soaring forest offers shade and cool.

Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park

Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park [https://www.boprc.govt.nz/living-in-the-bay/our-places/regional-parks/onekawa-te-mawhai-regional-park/] has several walking tracks, with the option of forming loops through the coastal forest and along Waiōtahe beach.

You can easily spend half a day here, the views from the pa sites of Onekawa and Te Mawhai are simply spectacular.