The Tongariro River Trail
The Tongariro River Trail is a scenic looped ride along both sides of the Tongariro River in Turangi. It has some awesome native bush and cool views into the clear waters of the Tongariro River.
The Tongariro River Trail is a gentle ride suitable for families wanting to spend a pleasant few hours either biking or walking. The Tongariro National Trout Centre is a great place to break your journey, with lovely picnic areas and facilities on site.
The track is a grade 2 trail on mostly flat terrain, making it suitable for children and beginner riders to enjoy.
It’s a 15km loop track of undulating, yet comfortable ground. It will take a family a couple of hours to complete or close to an hour for more experienced riders.
Total Distance 15km+ Recommended time 1-2 hours depending on speed
Trail Head Location
The trail begins at the car park next to the Tongariro River Bridge on State Highway 1 in Turangi, where you can park your car. Alternatively you can take a shuttle service from Taupo or Turangi to the trail head.
There are alternative starting points along the trail where you can park your car at the scenic reserves and begin your ride from there. This means shorter routes can be tailored to suit your particular needs. Contact the Turangi i-SITE or one of the shuttle services who will help you customize the best drop off and pick up point for you.
The trail has a variety of scenic locations to stop off at for a picnic lunch, or even a quick dip in the river to cool off during the hot summer months.
The Tongariro National Trout Centre is also on route, where you can get up close to the beautiful trout which inhabit the Tongariro River, or view the endangered native Whio (Blue Duck) at the newly purpose-built hardening facility.
