OTAWA SCENIC RESERVE

 

Walking Time 

Upper Papamoa Road to Manoeka Road 4 hours one way
Manaeka Road to reservior 15 min one way

 

This reserve, located in the Papamoa hills, contains attractive lowland forest dominated by tawa and rewarewa. At the end of Manoeka Road, which is off SH2 between Te Puke and Papamoa, a gravel road leads to a parking and picnic area. Please leave any gates as you find them. The Girl Guide Lodge is situated on the hillside above. A well defined track crosses the Kirikiri Stream into the reserve and continues on through a lovely puriri grove to a small clearing beside Te Puke"s original water reservoir.

From the top of the Upper Papamoa Road access to the reservoir is across private farmland via a formal farm vehicle track, then past Wharetetarakeho Trig where there are excellent views over the Bay of Plenty coastline. Entering the forest, the track follows a gentle undulating ridgeline to Otawa Trig (2 hours). Visitors can retrace their steps or continue along the track, which then descends steeply  to meet the reservoir track at the end of Manoeka Road (another 2 hours).

400m past the Otawa Trig, a branch to the right leads to Otanewaimuku.It is approx. 16 km and 8 hours to Mountain Road from here. Please contact the Dept of Conservation, 253 Chadwick Rd, Greerton, Tauranga for a map and further details of this walk

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