Forestry country in the Bay of Plenty, with the track winding beneath the trees for much of its length. The cover gives it a quiet, sheltered feel, and there's a network of side tracks worth poking around, particularly at the Pongakawa Valley Road end.

Despite its reputation as an easy connector, Hamilton Road is scratchier and trickier than it first looks. Expect some interesting angles and ruts that can catch out mostly-stock trucks, enough that a group has turned around here. Tight, overgrown sections will leave bush rash if you care about your paint, so it has more character than a simple through road.

As with any forestry road, keep an eye out for logging activity and other users. Given the terrain, best not tackled solo, and treat it as part of a wider day's exploring rather than a destination in itself.