Section 3: Pureora Forest / Timber Trail
13. december 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
S wandere goht witer! Die nöchsti section isch dure Pureora Forest gange. D Pureora Range isch durch d überlappig vo de tektonische platte entstande wo au rundum vili geothermali aktivitäte verursacht. Die gegend isch au bekannt für d holz industrie. Vill vo de wälder rund um d Pureora Range si abgholzt worde und wird jetz au no für das gnutzt, idäm si schneller wachsendi bäum apflanze. Zum glück heisi aber e grosse teil vom Pureora Urwald inzwüsche gschützt und e tolle trail vo 84km gmacht, wo mitem velo oder zfuess cha gmacht wärde. Dr wäg füert dure tiefst urwald mit villne sältene vögel und pflanze, übere Pureora Mountain und uf alte holzer isebahnwäg und hängebrugge.
Vorem start vo dr section hämer aber die geothermale aktivitäte no welle usnütze und si bitz usserhalb vo Rotorua i heisse pools go bade. Do chunt s wasser chochend heiss us dr quelle und mues über verschideni mechanisme uf 35 - 42 grad abgchüelt wärde.
Am nöchste tag simer vo de pools bis zum trail start auto gstöpplet. Das het au guet klappt. Nume adr einte stell hämer bitz überne stund müese warte.
Dr timber trail hämer denn in 4 wandertäg ufteilt. Am erste tag isch dr längsti ufstiig gsi, inklusiv eme abstächer ufe Mount Pureora gipfel. Übernachtet hämer denn bi dr hütte. Will e paar ratte, opossums und vögel d hütte igno hei, hämer denn churzfristig uf s zält umdisponiert. Dr zweiti tag isch wunderschön dure wald und über die zwei längste hängebrugge vom trail. Wie s 'Café am Rande der Welt' isch nachem zweite Tag d Timber Lodge uftaucht. Schnäll hämer eus für die übernachtigsvariante (mit heisser duschi, feinem znacht und eme richtige bett) statt em zält entschide. Nacheme guete schlof hämer am nöchste tag die längsti etappi vo 26km in agriff gno. Die nöchsti nacht hämer im 'historic camp no. 11" übernachtet. Das isch früener e chlises settlement gsi, wosi s holz uf ufe zug verlade hei. Hüt hets e grass fäld zum s zält ufstelle, es plumsklo, es dach und e bänkli. Am letschte wandertag hetme scho gmerkt, dass d zivilisation nöcher chunt. Es isch witer gange uf dr alte bahnstrecki und über witeri brugge und e alte tunnel. Nach mehrerne wuche heissem, sunnigem wätter, het a däm spötere nomitag denn s wätter umgschlage und es het afo rägne. Pflotschnass simer denn am ändi vom timber trail acho und hei festgstellt dases i däm ort schwirig wird zum witer cho. Durchnässt und chalt het eus aber denn öper miteme auto, wo mitleid gha het mit eus, uf Taumarunui gfahre. Dört het eus es motelzimmer mit heisser duschi erwartet.
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The hiking continues! The next section took us through the Pureora Forest. The Pureora Range was formed by the overlap of tectonic plates, which also causes the many geothermal activities in the region. The area is also known for its timber industry. Large parts of the forests around the Pureora Range were logged and are still used for forestry today, mainly with fast-growing plantation trees. Luckily, a significant portion of the original Pureora Forest is now protected, and an impressive 84 km trail has been created that can be done on foot or by bike. The trail leads through deep native forest with many rare birds and plants, over Mount Pureora, and along old logging railway lines and suspension bridges.
Before starting the section, we wanted to take advantage of the geothermal activity and went for a soak in some hot pools just outside Rotorua. The water comes out of the ground boiling hot and is cooled down to around 35–42°C through various mechanisms before you can bathe in it.
The next day, we hitchhiked from the pools to the trailhead, which worked out well overall — we only had to wait a bit over an hour at one spot.
We split the Timber Trail into four hiking days. The first day included the longest ascent, with a side trip up to the summit of Mount Pureora. We stayed near a hut that night, but since several rats, possums, and birds had taken over the hut, we decided at short notice to sleep in our tent instead. The second day was a beautiful walk through the forest and across the two longest suspension bridges on the trail. Like something straight out of The Café at the End of the World, the Timber Trail Lodge appeared at the end of the second day. It didn’t take long to choose the overnight option with a hot shower, a delicious dinner, and a real bed instead of camping.
After a good night’s sleep, we tackled the longest stage the next day — 26 km. That night, we stayed at Historic Camp No. 11, which used to be a small settlement where timber was loaded onto trains. Today, it offers a grassy area for pitching tents, a long-drop toilet, a shelter, and a bench. On the final day, it was already noticeable that civilization was getting closer. The trail continued along the old railway line, crossing more bridges and passing through an old tunnel. After weeks of hot, sunny weather, the conditions changed that afternoon and it started raining. Completely soaked, we reached the end of the Timber Trail and quickly realized that getting onward transport from there would be tricky. Cold and wet, we were lucky enough that a kind driver took pity on us and drove us to Taumarunui, where a motel room with a hot shower was waiting for us.Læs mere





























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