Summer is here which means one of the best tracks in the North Island is open - the 42 Traverse, a 46 km remote route through the centre of the North Island. The track has been well graded for the 2020 season, but not everything goes to plan for one of the trucks...
A large clearing deep in the Tongariro Forest gives you a proper off-grid camp with heaps of room and plenty of private spots to spread out. There's a good one down from the main camp, and some caves nearby worth a poke around if you've got decent gear.
Getting in, the recommended route is John McDonald Rd off SH47. It's rough gravel but fine in a stock 2WD with a bit of clearance, and takes around 25 minutes. Give the Pukehinau Rd route via Hillary OPC a miss, it's badly overgrown. Facilities are just a long-drop toilet, nothing else, so come self-sufficient.
On calm days the bird song is fantastic and clear nights bring incredibly bright stars. It stays quiet and rarely gets crowded, and plenty of regulars rate Pokaka Mill among the best campsites in the North Island. It's exposed and remote though, so pack warm gear even in summer, and definitely in winter.
Out on the Central Plateau, this rough gravel road runs to the Pokaka Mill campsite. The main route is an easy if bumpy drive that suits most setups, and dropping your tyre pressures makes it a fair bit more comfortable.
Stop off along the way and have a look at the caves. There's an interesting walk to reach them, though you'll want a cooler day for it. A loop also connects to the campsite via John MacDonald Road, but it's narrow, rutted and overgrown, so expect tighter going and the chance of bush rash. The 1.8km loop can take longer than the main road in, and most find it easier to run out from the campsite rather than in, especially at night.
The campsite is a genuinely off-grid spot, quiet and good for getting away from everything. Native birdlife is a highlight, and you might even hear deer roaring. Facilities are minimal, just a long drop, so come fully self-sufficient and bring everything you need. A good one for a peaceful overnight with caves and bush nearby.
One of the longest off-road runs in the North Island, this DOC-managed track stretches roughly 46km across the Central Plateau, linking Kapoors Road near SH47 at National Park with Owhango. It was originally cut for forestry and these days it's shared with mountain bikers and walkers, so take it easy on blind corners and descents.
You get native bush, stream and river crossings, and the odd glimpse of volcanic country. The surface ranges from wide graded forestry road to rugged pinches and rutted descents. There's a rock face before the big river crossing that can need 4LO and lockers, a muddy patch at the National Park end, and a steep rutted descent about halfway that turns slippery and demands careful wheel placement. In the dry it's an easy cruise that most stock 4WDs handle fine, but heavy bush rash is a given, and wet weather makes the steep sections genuinely tricky. The Owhango end is the harder direction.
It's remote, so travel with another vehicle and carry recovery gear. There are spots to camp along the way, including near the river crossings and around 10 Man Hut. Conventionally driven one-way from SH47 to Owhango to ease passing.