I spend the weekend exploring the Gentle Annie and zipping my way around the outside of the Kaweka Forest and ranges. With epic views and mint drives, it's an awesome place to spend a long weekend looking around.
A short, easy gravel climb into the Ruahine Ranges, well worth the detour off the Gentle Annie. The run up to Comet Hut is straightforward gravel, fine even for a capable 2WD.
The views are the payoff, and the best of them open up just before the end of the track. Along the way there are a few little dead-end side trails branching off, and several of them make a good spot to pitch up for the night.
It's about ten minutes from the Kuripapango campsite, so an easy add-on if you're already out that way.
Right on the edge of Kaweka Forest Park, beside the Ngaruroro River, this is a basic free campsite that keeps getting good reports. Non-powered tent sites sit in a relaxed riverside spot, with forest park scenery all around.
Facilities are simple and honest. There are non-flush toilets on site, and you can draw water from the stream, though treat it before drinking. River access is easy, so it works well for a night or a longer stay.
Plenty to keep you busy too, from rafting the Ngaruroro to having a go at fishing. Campers keep rating it highly as a no-frills, can't-go-wrong stop. If you're after somewhere quiet and scenic to pitch up near the water, this one does the job.
A gravel run into the Kaweka Forest Park takes you through forest park country to the popular 'Lakes' carpark. From there a short walk leads out to the lakes themselves.
The road is straightforward gravel and, when it's in good order, makes for a smooth, easy drive that most 4WDs will handle. Allow about an hour for the walk to the lakes and back from the carpark. Well worth it for the scenery.
It passes through an active forestry area, so access can be cut by logging operations from time to time. Worth checking conditions before you commit to the full run, otherwise you might only get a short way up before hitting a closure.
Branching off the Gentle Annie route, this one drops through forest and down towards the river. Mostly straightforward gravel on the way in, leading to a tidy little campsite tucked down by the riverside.
A gravel climb up into the hills, this one tops out over 1000 metres at a lookout with far-reaching views. It's a well-maintained farmers' road, easy enough and driveable for most vehicles in the dry.
The road narrows as it climbs and has some fairly steep sections, so a 2WD on street tyres may not be the go when it's wet. Up around the lookout there's a little play area worth a stop to take in the panorama.
A turn-off worth taking up in the ranges of inland Hawke's Bay, climbing to a lookout that opens out over the ranges and the coastline. The main road is well-formed gravel that winds up through native bush to the top.
It's steep in places, but the gravel is neat and tidy, so an AWD or even a careful 2WD can manage on a good day. Keep an eye out for deer on the way up, it's a bit of a hunters' paradise.
At the top there's a small 4WD play area that gets rutted and muddy, with a low-risk thrill on offer if you fancy testing your rig. One incline can bog you down in massive ruts, so it's more fun with a mate or two along for a winch. The clay surfaces turn slippery when wet, so pick your day. Responsible freedom camping is allowed and people park up overnight here. On a clear day the views are gorgeous and it's a good spot to pull over for a feed.
Tucked into the Kaweka Forest Park in Hawke's Bay, the Mangatutu Hot Springs Campsite is a popular but quiet spot for camping, picnicking and fishing beside the Mohaka River. It's a handy base for tramping, hunting and day walks up the river and deeper into the park, with good fishing spots reachable along a roughly 20-minute flat walk.
The setting is peaceful and natural, well away from town lights, so the night sky here is wonderfully dark for stargazing. Visitors have also enjoyed the cold, fresh water emerging straight from the rock nearby.
Facilities are basic: non-powered tent sites, non-flush toilets, and water drawn from the stream. Come prepared and self-sufficient, and you'll find a relaxing riverside retreat that suits anglers, trampers and anyone after a quiet escape into the Kawekas.
A well-formed gravel road climbing to a lookout, well worth the trip up on a clear day for the coast-to-coast views. From the summit you can pick out the towns below, including Palmerston North and Woodville, and a cluster of radio towers up near the top makes a good landmark to aim for.
Simple enough that plenty of people drive it in a 2WD, though expect some corrugation that'll rattle you around, and a few mild ruts and potholes closer to the summit are worth a glance in a low car or SUV.
The exposed summit can be windy and fog over fast, so pick a fine day for the best of it. Good little one to cut your teeth on, and the night views over the lit-up towns are a treat too.