Hiking Te Ārai Regional Park
Te Ārai Regional Park, one of the 28 Auckland regional parks, lies on the northern Auckland east coast, between Pakiri and Mangawhai Heads. It consists of twin points: Eyre Point and Te Ārai Point that sit between an expanse of white sand surf beach to the north and south. The park's small network of tracks provides access to the cliff tops, both points and is intersected by Te Araroa. This area is ideal for those who enjoy coastal walks and stunning vistas.
Coastal Walks and Scenic Views
You can begin by walking south from the campsite at the end of Te Arai Point Road. A path follows the coast and leads to the top of a rocky promontory at Eyre Point, with views of the beach and a small tidal inlet. Continuing along the coast, you'll encounter two small beaches. These beaches, unlike the white sands to the north and south, are rougher and adorned with colourful seashells. From here, you can continue along he rocky coast and around Te Ārai Point, as the tide retreats, to Forestry Beach.
Alternatively, you can take the track from the campsite to the top of the twin points. This route provides spectacular views and then continues along the cliff top to Forestry Beach. A side track also leads to two small dune lakes.
The walks traverse a mix of open rural land and regenerating coastal forest. Plan for a couple of hours to complete a loop, and note that the coastline is best explored at low tide.
How to get to Te Ārai Regional Park
To reach Te Ārai Regional Park from Auckland, take the northern motorway to Warkworth. From there, continue north on State Highway 1 to three km north of Te Hana, where you turn northeast onto Mangawahi Road. Stay on Mangawhai Road as it turns north until the intersection with Te Arai Point Road. Turn east on Te Arai Point Road, the last section of which is gravel, to the campsite and the starting points for the various tracks. The drive from Downtown Auckland takes 90 minutes and is 100 km.
There is also a remote section of Te Ārai, popular with surfers, accessible from Mangawhai on Pacific Road. An optional scenic drive back to Auckland follows the minor roads to Pakiri, Goat Island, and Leigh on the Matakana Coast.
