Road trip Day 6 - Mangamate Falls Campsite, Te Urewera National Park

“WARNING! 95 km of winding unsealed road ahead”

When we saw that sign standing sentinel by the side of the road, Sonny and I knew we had made the right choice. With Taj Mahal blasting on the stereo, plenty of fuel in our tank, and all we needed right in our cozy van, we headed out to get lost in the North Island’s largest and most remote National Park.

Earlier, the morning had dawned gloriously sunny and temperate, and we excitedly savoured our coffee while watching the mist on the lake burn off as we discussed our next direction. I had wanted to climb Rainbow Mountain, so-called due to the colourful nature of the igneous rock that comprises it. However, when we got to the parking lot, we found it overflowing with cars and people everywhere. Suddenly summiting that peak lost its appeal. I proposed instead that we head out on SH 38, taking the long way toward Hawke’s Bay through the misty forested ranges of Te Urewera National Park. When I warned Sonny that the guidebooks impressed upon the length and remoteness of the road through the park, he expressed some concern until we remembered we had no timetable and we could go   as slow as we liked. In fact, we decided to spend the night at a campsite only about a third of the way in, and do the rest the next morning.

The drive in was beautiful, the narrow road curving around the sides of thickly forested mountains. The virgin forest was peppered with huge ancient trees, and we were able to marvel at the girth of their trunks on one side of the road and the spread of their canopy on the other. the road more of less followed a river, which became a glittering ribbon far below us. Waterfalls of all sizes tumbled  right next to the road then below it on their way down the mountainside. We stopped in a tiny isolated town, once a thriving forestry community, now the last bastion of civilization in the park as Sonny required road snacks. Once fuelled we resumed our sinuous journey. After about an hour, I directed Sonny to a turn off and a the end of an even smaller gravel road we found our campsite. It was shaped like a horseshoe, with a spectacular waterfall situated at the “bend.” We drove past a large family, entrenched in a site with two huge buses, one of which had what appeared to be a giant claw on the back. We took the next site down from them, the last site in the U with only a turnaround past us. 

It ended up being one of the nicest campsites I have stayed at in New Zealand thus far. We had a huge grassy clearing, and were surrounded by dense bush on three sides - to the extent that we could neither see nor hear our neighbours. A shady path at the back connected all the campsites and the toilets and sheltered cooking area near the waterfall. Blackberries and roses were everywhere, and both were bearing fruit. The river hurtled by on the other side of the road in front of us, and the first thing the dogs did was investigate it. Unfortunately, the current was too swift for them to swim in it. I wandered up the path with my $12 to pay DOC for the privilege of camping in this beautiful spot. However, when I got to where the pat stations should be, there was none to be found! A quick conversation with a passing boy on a bike told me that the local Maori had taken over stewardship, and the site was now free!

Sonny and I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the sun, drinking beer and playing with the dogs. As there was a fire pit (a huge rarity in New Zealand!) we also gathered firewood. As the sun began to sink, I showed I’ve still got the pyro abilities by starting a fire using nothing but wood found nearby and two lighter flicks. We ate ramen in the toasty glow of the flames. As the night got late, I let the fire die down and we marvelled at the extensive canopy of stars spread overhead. It will be strange to no longer find the Southern Cross in a few weeks. We fell asleep, smelling of smoke, but utterly relaxed.