Akatarawa Forest

These tracks offer a variety of challenges and there many good picnic sites on bush fringes and stream edges. Parts of the forest are rugged and isolated, and there are no facilities provided.

Wilderness camping is available in some parts of the forest. Contact the park ranger for details of suitable sites, as areas are periodically affected by fallen trees and flooding.

Before you go 

• Know the Mountain Safety Council's outdoor safety code for walking and hiking.
• Take a copy of Topo50 BP32 - Paraparaumu and keep to the marked tracks unless you know the area. 
• Keep to the track and respect the owners' property. Use stiles and do not climb fences. Leave gates as you find them
• Not generally suitable for mountain buggies.
• Some forest roads are used for logging and motorised recreation and are popular mountain bike trails. Watch for vehicles and mountain bikers.

Tracks

Akatarawa Forest brochure

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date_range Published 08 Jul 2021

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Akatarawa Forest's mountain biking trails are legendary - after all it is the home of the world famous in Wellington (and further afield) Karapoti Classic, New Zealand's longest running mountain biking event. Held in the first weekend in March you can choose from the 50km, 20km or the kids' 5km event.

Know  before you go

• Know the mountain bikers code of conduct.
• Take Topomap BP32 and a compass.
• Mountain bikes are not permitted on the Birchville Reservoir section of the Walkway.

Tracks

Akatarawa Forest brochure

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date_range Published 08 Jul 2021

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Dogs are welcome in most areas but must be under control. Dogs must be on a lead on the southern portion (Tulsa Park and Zig Zag entrance) of the Cannon Point Walkway as it crosses private land.

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Explore some of the more beautiful and little known areas of the forest on your horse.

Park your horse float at:

• Maungakotukutuku Valley in Paraparaumu. 
• Battle Hill Farm Forest Park and ride through to the Puketiro Forest.
  

Apply for permit

You need to have a permit to ride in Akatarawa Forest.

Apply online 

Things to think about

• Have your permit on you when you're riding.
• Follow the parks care code
• There are logging teams working in the forest. Check for weekly updates on where they are working before you head into the park.
• Take a map (Topomap R26) and a compass.
• Take a phone but coverage may be patchy.

We recommend you avoid:

• Karapoti Gorge - this is always busy with mountain bikers.
• Maungakotukutuku Stream - this is part of the water supply for the Kapiti Coast. Avoid riding in or across the stream except to get to Perhams Road.

Horse riding trails

Whakatikei Loop

• Distance: 22 km return
• Grade: Medium
• Time: 4 hours

Starting at the Maungakotukutuku Valley, ride up Perhams Road to Titi Ridge, turn right and then left down Whakatiki Road. Turn right again to follow Hydro Valley Rd back through the Whakatiki Forest and back to Perhams Road.

Other forest areas

Clubs can access other Greater Wellington forests for events or organised group rides. Apply for permits and entry keys.

Parts of the forest may be closed for logging, pest control or maintenance operations. Trails may be closed in wet weather to avoid track damage.

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Professional ground and aerial ungulate control is undertaken in this area on a regular basis for protecting the biodiversity values of the ecosystem. 

Sustainable deer hunting

In order to manage numbers of deer and keep their numbers at sustainable levels, the NZ Game Animal Council advises that hunters try to shoot two to three hinds for every stag that they shoot, and to target older stags rather than younger ones. Read their full letter for more information and advice. (PDF 260 KB)

There are different kinds of permit for hunting different animals in different places, but for your convenience we've put these all together in one form, which you can access below. The Akatarawa, Kaitoke and Pakuratahi areas have one permit to cover all these hunting areas.

Apply for your hunting permit now (not accessible on Internet Explorer). 

Carefully read your permit conditions. Be familiar with the map and terrain of the area and stay within it - download the Akatarawa Forest hunting map below. 

Akatarawa Hunting Map

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date_range Published 06 Aug 2021

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You must be at least 200m away from roads, tracks, and boundaries with private land, and obtain permission from landowners if you're going to cross private land.

All kills must be in the permitted area but 50m away from roads, tracks and boundaries with private land and only in the designated hunting area.

Firearms: only centre-fire rifles of calibre .222 Remington or larger may be used for hunting, or crossbows and bows with a minimum drawing factor of 18kg (40lb). Shotguns, air rifles and rimfire rifles are not permitted.

Loaded firearms are forbidden outside the designated hunting area.

Hunting hot spots

This is a heat map of areas where deer, goats, and pigs were found in the Akatawara Forest between 2021 and 2023. 

Hunting hot spots in Akatarawa Forest

This is a heat map of areas where deer, goats, and pigs were found in the Akatawara Forest between 2021 and 2023.  Read more here

date_range Published 21 Sep 2023

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Pig hunting

Pig hunting in the Metro Forest is now open. Permits are required - apply for your permit now.

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Akatarawa Forest Motorised Recreation Tracks

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date_range Published 04 Oct 2021

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This is the only regional park where you can use four wheel drive vehicles, quad bikes and motorbikes. 

All 4wd, quad and motorbikers must have individual permits and follow the user code. Casual two/four-wheel drive off-road racing, scrambling, motocross, and competitive riding or driving is not permitted. 

Four wheel driving

To protect the environment access is arranged through Akatarawa Recreational Access Committee (ARAC). All trips must have ARAC certified trip leaders and comply with the Motorised Recreational User Code. There are 4WD access maps (PDF 2.1 MB) identifying specific tracks that are available for motorised recreation. Conditions apply to some tracks to minimise impacts and motorised use will no longer be allowed if conditions are not met.

Apply for a permit

LUV (Light Utility Vehicle) or Side by Sides

LUV's are permitted into Akatarawa Forest for recreational purpose with an approved club and ARAC/GW trip leader. Approved club and ARAC/GW trip leaders enter through the locked gates with the club's electronic fob key.

Drivers must comply with the Motorised Recreational User Code. Head protection, ie, helmets to be worn by all people in LUV. Casual (non-club) entry or entry over/through fences and gates is not allowed.

Apply for a permit

Quad and motorbikes

There is an extensive network of roads and old logging tracks through the regenerating bush and pine trees of Akatarawa Forest.

The main roads through the forests are open to the public for quad and trail biking.

Apply for a permit

User Code

Download the motorised recreation activities guide (PDF 1.7 MB) . 

Before you go:

• Let others know of your intended route and estimated time of return.
• Take warm clothing and be prepared for rapid weather changes and rapid flooding of river crossings.
• Use approved safety gear (gloves, boots, chest protectors) and always wear a helmet.
• Carry a first aid kit, map and compass, breakdown tools, tow rope, food and drink and fire extinguisher.
• Check your ride is well-maintained with effective mufflers.
• Clean all equipment before entering the forest.
• Cellphone coverage in the park is limited so take other emergency communication equipment.

On the track:

• Keep to the designated roads, tracks and routes and obey signs and rules.
• Travel in groups and with experienced people - in case you have an accident and to avoid getting lost.
• Keep your speed below 30km per hour, drive to the conditions and keep left. 
• Be prepared to give way. Always assume there may be someone coming around the next corner.
• Pass walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers at walking speed.
• Extra care needed when using all ford crossings.
• Stay out of private property, or get the owner's permission first.
• Carry your valid permit. You may be asked to produce it.

Safety in the forest

• Any incidents resulting in fire or potential for fire are to be reported immediately call 111.
• Rock Garden experienced 4WD drivers only due to difficult terrain.
• Caution is required when driving on all the forest's roads. Hazards may include fallen trees, washout debris and slips.
• Devils Staircase/Rock Garden route difficult terrain experienced trail/quad riders only.

Look after the park:

• Leave no trace of your visit. Don't damage the bush and take rubbish with you.
• Report hazards, or any vandalism and other bad behaviour.

Tracks

So much of the work done in the regional parks wouldn't be possible without the help of people in our communities. If you want to contribute to the care of Akatarawa Forest, you can join one of our community groups.

Volunteering in our parks

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The Akatarawa Forest covers hill country between Upper Hutt and Paraparaumu. Translated to English, Akatarawa means 'trailing vines'.

Māori used the forest for hunting and food gathering as well as an access trail to and from the Hutt Valley. The native forest of the area, covering approximately 15,000 hectares, has changed considerably since European settlement due to the introduction of animals, fires and logging of native timber including rimu.

Logging history in the Akatarawa Forest

For more than 100 years saw-milling was an important part of the economy of this area. From 1900 to 1920 many families associated with saw-milling moved into the Akatarawa area. Small cottages or whares provided the barest essentials for the workers and their families. They focused on logging and milling accessible rimu, matai, totara, kahikatea and some miro. 

You can still see old tramlines, trucks and discarded machinery - relics of this bygone era. Karapoti Road, built in 1911, was the main access and was originally a tram track with wooden rails.

Further change to the native forest took place from 1930 to 1957 with the scattered inter-planting of exotic conifers such as Douglas fir, Lawson's cypress, Monterey cypress, western red cedar and Japanese cedar. Today many of these tree species have blended in well with the surrounding native bush.

Birchville Dam

Akatarawa Forest has also played an important role in supplying water to the Wellington region - and Birchville Dam is a reminder of this part of the forest's history. The current dam was built in the 1930s by the Upper Hutt Borough Council and replaced a smaller dam on the same site. It supplied water to Wellington until 1958. You can visit the Birchville Dam on the Cannon Point Walkway.

Cannon Point

Cannon Point gained its name from the 1850s sawmilling days when a large tree, shaped like a cannon when viewed from the valley, was left lying on the hilltop. After clearing, the land was farmed by the Whiteman brothers as Valley View Station. The steep zigzag track, now part of the walkway, was cut for foot and horse access to the Station. Birchville Water Reservoir was built in 1929. The reservoir supplied water to Upper Hutt until the Kaitoke Scheme started operations in 1954.

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