Rainbow Mountain Scenic Reserve, or Maunga Kākaramea Summit Track, is both an easy hiking spot and an advanced mountain biking track. It is also a tourist attraction in the Kaingaroa Forest. It takes about 1-1.5 hours of hike to the summit, through moderate inclinations and steaming ridges (geothermal activities).
There is also a 15-minute, 500 meters track at the beginning to the Crater Lake Walk. During my visit, it was temporarily closed for safety reasons caused by recent heavy weather events.
Rainbow Mountain Scenic Reserve Summit Track
The trailhead starts at Rainbow Mountain Scenic Reserve Car Park, plenty of space and there are picnic tables and a toilet there.
The start of the track is unshaded but it gets less exposed as you go.
As you hike, you would start noticing steam coming out of the distant thermal areas.
For mountain bikers, they share the same track with hikers going uphill to the summit, but cycle down via a grade 4, biking only track. There are also easier grade 2 biking tracks to Waiotapu and Kerosene Creek connecting to this path. Hikers use the same path up and down.
The track’s steepness is moderate in general, with some steeper sections, but it is a well-maintained track. DOC categorized it as an advanced tramping track but it actually felt like an easy track. Yes, we may get some heavy breathings at some steeper sections but nothing too advanced along the way.
About ¾ up before the summit, there is an interesting lookout point to the active geothermal location. Hot steam can be seen coming out from the colored ridges.
Rainbow Mountain Scenic Reserve Peak
Get a 360 degree view over the region on the top of Rainbow Mountain. To the Northeast you could see Mt Tarawera, which erupted violently in 1886, changing the landscape. Moreover, to the North are Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana and Rerewhakaaitu. To the South are Mt Tauhara, Lake Taupō and the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park. The Urewera Ranges and Kaimanawa Forest are to the east, while to the West lies the Paeroa Range. Informational boards are placed on the summit in each direction to help you identify the places you could spot.
Bonus Trip: Kerosene Creek
After completing the Rainbow Mountain Summit Track, take a short 2.8km drive to Kerosene Creek for its natural hot springs and waterfall! The 2km gravel road along the bumpy and dusty Old Waiotapu Road is full of potholes so do drive slowly (but not a problem even for most small cars).
帖子有帮到您吗？在您的登山故事和帖子中标记 @meowtainpeople 吧！
*地球队长经过* 记住，请保护我们的环境，请勿破坏大自然。不要留下任何垃圾，只带回照片和回忆（如果可以的话，还可以捡走一些垃圾）。请在指定的路径上行走，并尽量保持在中间行走，以使裸露的土壤不会进一步扩散/腐蚀。与大自然融为一体吧 *飞走了*
支持本网站的附属链接：
透明度万岁！：以上链接是会员链接，如果您用此链接购买或预订的话，我可以赚取佣金， 而你也不会被收取额外费用。 我只推荐我使用的产品和公司。您的支持可以帮助我保持网站的运行，让我继续用心分享🙂
想在您的网站进行相同的联属网络营销吗？用这个 AccessTrade 平台链接 获取 RM5 奖励。
