Te Urewera National Park

Te Urewera is New Zealand's fourth largest national park, and it protects the biggest area of native forest remaining on the North Island. The ancestral home of the Tuhoe people, the park's main attraction is Lake Waikaremoana, which draws hikers, canoeists, and fishing enthusiasts from around the world.

The remote park is rugged and mountainous. Lake Waikaremoana, formed over 2,000 years ago when a massive landslide blocked the Waikaretaheke River. It's not easily accessible—the road from the north is narrow, winding, and mostly unpaved, and the road from Wairoa is still gravel in parts. However, both roads pass through spectacular countryside of high, misty ridges covered with silver and mountain beech. Waterfalls and streams abound, and on the lower levels the forest giants, rimu, rata, kamahi, totara, and tawa attract native birds like the New Zealand Falcon, Kaka, North Island brown Kiwi and the Kokako. The Lake Waikaremoana Track, one of New Zealand's great walks, is here.

BEST TIME TO GO

The best time to visit the park is in the summer months, October to March. But even then there are many misty, rainy days. Summer is also when local tourists flock to the park, so accommodations may be limited.

Fun Fact

Legend has it that many years ago a Maori chief lay by the fire and his cloak caught fire. His injury is immortalized in the park's name: Ure means penis; wera means burnt