Karangahake Gorge is a scenic place on New Zealand’s North Island. South of the Coromandel Peninsula, this region offers some of the best historic gold mining trails, nature walks, waterfalls, and rich heritage – perfect for hikers and history lovers alike.
Whether you’re passing through, planning a day trip from Auckland, or spending a full day in the area, Karangahake Gorge offers plenty to explore. There are many walks, biking tracks and simply places to relax and enjoy the scenery.
How to get to Karangahake Gorge
As with many places in New Zealand, the easiest option to visit Karangahake Gorge is by car. It’s located on State Highway 2, between Paeroa and Waihi.
Karangahake Gorge makes a perfect day trip from Auckland (about a 2-hour drive), Hamilton (1 hour), or Tauranga (1 hour), with all three cities within easy driving distance.
We visited Karangahake Gorge many times. Leaving Auckland in the morning, spending the day walking and exploring, then driving back home in the evening. It’s always been a great day out for the whole family.
Drive to the Karangahake Reserve car park and picnic area – several walking tracks start from there. The place is quite popular (especially on weekends and public holidays), so parking can be tricky at times. If the Karangahake Reserve car park is full, try Karangahake Hall instead. From State Highway 2, turn onto Crown Hill Road bridge. There is an additional parking area near the hall, and it’s only about a 10-minute walk to the start of the tracks.
Karangahake Gold Mining History
From the 1880s onwards, Karangahake Gorge became a significant centre for gold mining in New Zealand. Several tunnels were dug through the hills, and stamping batteries were installed to crush the ore. The batteries were powered by water from the nearby Waitawheta and Ohinemuri rivers. At its peak, between the 1880s and 1950s, the Karangahake area produced around 60% of New Zealand’s total gold output.
You can still see remnants of the old gold mining operations at the Talisman, Crown, Woodstock, and Victoria battery sites. The Victoria Battery was the largest and most advanced of its time, and today it has a small museum on site. It’s part of the Karangahake Historic Walkway, which follows the old railway line between Paeroa and Waihi.
Karangahake Scenic Nature walks
Karangahake Gorge combines its gold mining heritage with scenic nature, making it a perfect spot for some of the region’s best walks and tracks. Below are a few of the scenic walks worth exploring.
Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway
Start at the Karangahake Reserve car park or Karangahake Hall and follow the Ohinemuri Stream along the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway.
The full track takes you from Karangahake Hall along a scenic nature trail, crossing steel bridges and following the old railway line through the gorge. You will pass near the beautiful Owharoa Falls, continue through the remains of Victoria Battery, and finish at Waikino train station.
The full track is about 7 km long (approx 4 hr return walk).
Karangahake Rail Tunnel Loop Walk
If you prefer a shorter walk, take the Rail Tunnel Loop track. It starts from either the Karangahake Reserve car park or Karangahake Hall and follows the Ohinemuni River. Along the way, you will pass the remains of the Crown Battery and cross the Western Portal Bridge over the river. There is a 1100-metre former rail tunnel (now lit) that takes you through the mountain and back to Karangahake Hall.
The loop track is about 2.5 km long (approx 1.5 hr walk).
Karangahake Gorge Windows Walk
One of the most popular (and easiest) walks in the Karangahake Gorge area is the Windows Walk. The track follows the Waitawheta River and leads you through old gold mining tunnels, where openings or ‘windows’ have been carved into the rock. These windows offer nice views down into the gorge and across the river below.
Along the track, you will find signs with information about the site’s gold mining history. The path follows old railway tracks. One highlight (especially popular with kids) is an old minecart still sitting on the tracks. Children like to climb in and pretend to be golden nugget on their way out of the mine! :).
Make sure to take a torch on this track (or use the built-in torch on your phone), as the mining tunnels can be very dark in places.
The Windows Walk is a loop track, about 2.5 km long (approx 1.5 hr walk), and suitable for most fitness levels.
Karangahake Mountain Walk
For those keen on a more challenging hike, the track to the summit of Karangahake Mountain offers wide views from the top. It takes around 2 hours 30 minutes to reach the summit, and another 1.5 to 2 hours to return.
We haven’t done this walk ourselves, as it’s not recommended for younger children – the track becomes quite steep towards the top.
More places to Visit in Karangahake Gorge
Even if you’re just passing through and don’t have time for longer walks, there are a few spot in Karangahake Gorge that are easily to visit and don’t require much walking.
Owharoa Falls
One of our favourite spots in the Karangahake region is the beautiful Owharoa Falls. If you’re walking the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway, you’ll reach the falls along the track. Alternatively, you can drive to the nearby parking area – from there, it’s just a 5-minute walk to the waterfall.
Owharoa Falls offers beautiful photo spots and a peaceful place to relax. In summer, it becomes a natural swimming pool at the foot of the waterfall. The volume of the water varies depending on recent rainfall. We’ve visited several times and seen it as a full-flowing cascade covering the staircase-like rocks. While at other times it was just a few thin streams after a long dry spell.
Goldfields Heritage Railway
If you are not keen on walking, you can hop aboard the Goldfields Heritage Railway. This operational train runs between Waikino Station (near the Victoria Battery) and the historic gold mining town of Waihi. It’s a scenic and relaxing way to experience the area’s heritage.
Check Goldfields Heritage Railway website for the current timetable, as return services aren’t available every day.
Even if you are not taking the train, you can stop by the cafe inside Waikino Station for a bite to eat or a relaxing break while exploring the Karangahake region. It’s a charming spot to recharge before or after your walk.
Victoria Battery Tramway & Museum
Just a short walk from Waikino Station, you will find the historic Victoria Battery. In addition to the remains of the battery (open to the public every day), the site includes a small museum, guided tours through the underground tunnel and ore kilns, and tramway rides around the battery grounds. The open carriage tram is a fun way to explore the site, especially for families.
Tickets for the museum, underground tours, and tram rides can be purchased on site. These attractions operate only on weekends and public holidays, so it’s worth checking ahead before you visit.
Karangahake Gorge is a great destination, and I highly recommend visiting at least once. Variety of easy to medium-difficulty walking tracks and gold mining remains makes it an ideal place to explore with the whole family. I am sure children and adults alike will enjoy their time in the Karangahake Gorge region.
After Karangahake Gorge, why not continue your trip to the nearby Coromandel Peninsula? Read next: Best of the Coromandel in Two Days.
For more one-day trip ideas, check out our post 15 Best One Day Trips from Auckland.
Ooh, I’ve never been to this part of the country – it looks gorgeous! And anywhere with a train goes to the top of my bucket list. That tunnel looks a bit spooky though 🙂
It’s not too spooky as there are usually people walking there, so you won’t be alone in it 🙂
Karangahake Gorge looks like a beautiful place to visit. The ruins from the mining operations look interesting and it would be fun to imagine what it must have been like. Those hikes look so picturesque!
It’s really cool how history and nature is combined in this region, no one will get bored on a walk in Karangahake region.
Such an Indiana Jones experience. Gorges, mine carts, as a kid I’d be jumping in that mine cart too.
No need to be a kid to jump in that mine cart 😉 I’ve done that too, when we visited Karangahake first time 🙂
This was a nice trip down memory lane to a place I had forgotten I’d visited! I don’t know how I could, Karangahake Gorge is such an incredible place. It’s exciting following the path cut into the rock and going into the abandoned mining tunnels!
We visited it many times already, and still enjoy the walking tracks and nature in Karangahake region.
I’ve never heard of Karangahake Gorge but I love that there’d a variety of outdoor walks and history. Never knew thy at New Zealand had a mining industry honestly!
There are many historical sites in New Zealand from the old gold mining days. Karangahake is one of them, and lots of gold mining was happening on South Island of New Zealand.