Bridge to Nowhere

Located deep in the forest of Whanganui National Park, this concrete road bridge looks ridiculously out of place. There is no road either side, and no signs of construction or civilisation. It is truly the 'Bridge to Nowhere'.

As you can imagine, there is an interesting story behind this bridge.

The remote Mangapurua Valley was opened up in 1919 to provide farms for soldiers returning from World War I. A wooden swing bridge for horses provided access to the valley. After years of agitation from the local community, a more robust concrete road bridge was constructed in 1936. However it was used for only six years. The Mangapurua Valley Soldiers Settlement walked off their land in 1942 after decades of battling hardship caused by the valley's poor soils. The forest grew back, obliterating all signs of habitation except for the bridge.

Today, you can find the Bridge to Nowhere by catching a jet boat from either Pipiriki or Whakahoro. From Mangapurua Landing on the Whanganui River it's an easy 40 minute walk one-way, through beautiful native forest. The bridge offers great views of the steep forest valley and the riverbed below.

This area is part of the Whanganui National Park, and the Bridge to Nowhere is a feature of the popular two-day hike along the Mangapurua Track which starts at Whakahoro.

Tongariro Crossing

Often described as New Zealand's greatest day walk, the Tongariro Crossing is a challenging journey across a remarkable volcanic landscape.

Beginning at Mangatepopo Valley near Wakapapa, the track climbs alongside a stream and around the edges of old lava flows. The age of different lava flows is indicated by the extent to which plants have re-established themselves on the harsh black lava rocks. Near the head of the valley, the Soda Springs are an oasis for the moisture loving yellow buttercups and white foxgloves.

The steep climb from the valley to Mangatepopo Saddle between Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro is rewarded by panoramic views, which on a clear day reach as far as Mount Taranaki.

For the fit and enthusiastic, Mount Ngauruhoe can be climbed as a three-hour return side trip. The Tongariro Crossing track continues across South Crater to a ridge leading up Red Crater. The smell of sulphur is a reminder that this crater is still active. Red Crater marks the highest point on the Tongariro Crossing. From here a two-hour detour can be made to the summit of Mount Tongariro.

The track then descends to three water-filled explosion craters called the Emerald Lakes. Their brilliant greenish colour is caused by minerals that have leached from the surrounding thermal area. The crossing continues over Central Crater to Blue Lake - an old volcanic vent.

After rounding the flanks of North Crater, the descent continues through tussock slopes to the forest bushline. The cool, green forest is refreshing on the long descent to the end of the journey.

The Tongariro Crossing takes seven to eight hours in the direction described. The opposite direction is more uphill and takes an hour longer. Local transport operators offer connections with the track.

Tongariro National Park

Tongariro National Park covers a little less than 80,000 hectares. The area has great cultural significance for Maori people, and is recognized by UNESCO as one of only 24 World Heritage sites.

In 1887 the Maori chief Te Heu Heu Tukino IV (Horonuku) showed great foresight by gifting three large volcanic mountains and the surrounding land to the Crown for preservation as a reserve for all people to enjoy.

The three magnificent volcanoes - Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro - are very much alive, with Ruapehu erupting as recently as 1996. Mount Ruapehu offers excellent skiing and snowboarding during winter and a picturesque hike to the summit crater lake in summer. The near-perfect conical shape of Ngauruhoe was the basis for Mount Doom in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. One of New Zealand's best one day walks, the Tongariro Crossing, follows volcanic terrain along the slopes of all three mountains. This seven-hour hike also passes the beautiful emerald and blue lakes high on Mount Tongariro.

Tongariro National Park is full of unusual landscapes - barren lava flows, winter snowfields, hot springs and active craters. The park's botanical life includes alpine herbs, tussocks, flax, low-growing shrubs and tall native beech forests. It's a vast wilderness area ready to be explored, either through short walks and guided tours or extended treks covering several memorable days.

Round the Mountain Track

This track leads right around Mount Ruapehu, one of three towering volcanic cones within the Tongariro National Park. The cultural significance of this area to Maori people has earned the park World Heritage status.

The track offers four to six days of quiet seclusion with magnificent mountain views in a variety of remote volcanic and forest landscapes.

You'll encounter everything from mountain beech forest and alpine herb fields to desert lands and glacial river valleys. Although a greater part of the track is in an alpine environment, there are no major alpine passes.

There are several side walks leading to interesting attractions such as the Tama Lakes and the Ohinepango Springs. At the springs, crystal clear cold water bubbles up from beneath the old lava flow and discharges at an enormous rate into the Ohinepango Stream.

You can overnight in Department of Conservation huts which are dotted around the track at five to six hourly intervals. Tent camping is also permitted along the walk.

The Round the Mountain Track can be walked at any time of year, but the safest and most popular time is from November to May. During this period the tracks are normally clear of snow and the weather is less severe.

This is a mountain wilderness area where the weather can change quickly, so come well prepared. There are several access points to the Round the Mountain Track, so you're not obliged to walk the entire route. Sections of the track can be walked in 1-2 days.