Explore Pureora Forest
Pureora Forest is one of the most remarkable native forest landscapes in New Zealand.
Home to ancient podocarp trees, rare birdlife, historic logging sites and one of the country’s most important conservation stories, the forest offers much more to explore beyond the Timber Trail.
Use Timber Trail Lodge as your base for short walks, historic sites, forest viewpoints and longer adventures throughout the wider forest park.
Walks from the Timber Trail Lodge
Rātā Loop Walk
This one-hour loop starts at the Lodge and climbs through dense native forest to a stand of giant northern rātā. It is an easy way to experience the scale and character of Pureora Forest without travelling farther afield.
Maramataha Bridge Walk
Walk to the longest and highest suspension bridge on the Timber Trail, spanning 141 metres across the Maramataha Gorge and rising 53 metres above the stream below.
The walk begins at the Maramataha entrance, approximately two kilometres from the Lodge, and follows the Timber Trail for around four kilometres each way.
See the carpark here
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A special place in New Zealand history
Pureora Forest holds an important place in New Zealand’s conservation history.
For generations, the forest provided timber, employment and transport routes for surrounding communities. By the 1970s, large areas of ancient native forest were still being cleared.
In 1978, conservationists occupied platforms high in the treetops to stop further logging. Their protest helped bring national attention to the loss of native forest and contributed to the protection of Pureora.
Today, remnants of the forest’s logging past sit alongside towering podocarps, thriving birdlife and the trails that now bring people into this remarkable landscape.
Other areas to explore
Mount Pureora - Summit Walk
Climb to the 1,165-metre summit of Mount Pureora for wide views across the central North Island.
The walk follows the Toitoi Track from near the 11-kilometre point of the Timber Trail and is approximately 5.8 kilometres return. The track passes through native forest before reaching the exposed summit, where clear days can deliver views towards Lake Taupō and the surrounding volcanic plateau.
Allow several hours and be prepared for a rougher, more demanding track than the formed Timber Trail. Conditions can be wet and change quickly.
New Zealand's biggest Totara
A short forest walk leads to Pouakani, the largest recorded tōtara in New Zealand.
The tree is estimated to be more than 1,800 years old and stands around 40 metres tall, with a trunk circumference of approximately 11 metres. The walk offers an opportunity to experience the extraordinary scale and age of Pureora’s surviving podocarp forest.
Access is from State Highway 30, making it a worthwhile stop when travelling to or from the Lodge.
Can be found off State Highway 30.
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Pureora Tree Tower
The Pureora Tree Tower rises above the forest canopy and offers a different perspective on the scale of the surrounding native forest.
The tower is approximately 3.5 kilometres from the Pureora Village car park. The route follows a forest road past historic logging machinery, including an old tractor, steam engine and bulldozer that remain from the area’s timber-milling past.
The tower itself is 12 metres high. Visitors should be comfortable climbing steep steps and should take care in wet or windy conditions.
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The Timber Trail Lodge Experience
