Looking for an awesome hike just outside Auckland? The Puhoi Lookout Track is where it’s at! This sweet little section of the massive 3,000 km Te Araroa Trail is only about 50 km north of the city but feels like you’re a world away from all that urban chaos.

Quick Facts

Location: Puhoi, Auckland
Difficulty: Easy with a few up hill climbs
Duration: 2 hour 25 minutes in a loop returning along the road
Distance: 9.3 km total
Elevation: 303m
Dogs: Not allowed
Mobile: Good

My Day on the Puhoi Lookout Track: A Choice Group Tramp!

Just got back from a mean day tramping the Puhoi Lookout Track to Remiger Road with my mates from the Fitness Hub in Snells Beach! Our crack organiser Evana sorted this whole trip, and I’m still buzzing from the experience.

The Tramp

We kicked off our adventure at the Puhoi Domain carpark, right across from the famous Puhoi Pub. The track is about 5 km one way and took us around 1 hour 35 mins to complete at our cruisy pace. Our group was in good nick as we started the climb through some pretty bush on a well-formed track.

I was chuffed with how the path took us up to a ridge that overlooks some gorgeous farmland. The views down the valley were worth the slog! The track was pretty easy with gravelled sections and sturdy stiles for crossing fences.

What We Saw

The diversity of the landscape is interesting. We walked through:

  • Native bush with these massive puriri trees covered in epiphytes
  • Super lush areas filled with punga ferns, nikau palms, and these impressive totara, rimu, and kauri trees
  • Some pine forest sections where you could see native plants making a comeback underneath. To be honest this part was not so pretty.
  • Open farmland with countryside views that had us all stopping for snaps

 

The highlight for me was definitely the Arthur Dunn Memorial Lookout. We all had a breather there to take in the spectacular view of Puhoi in “all its Bohemian glory” as one of our crew put it. From there, we wound our way down through some beautiful native bush before finally reaching Remiger Road.

Most of the group decided to head back along the road instead of retracing our exact steps. This was definitely the easier and faster option. I like loop walks like this you get to see more even if it was on the road.

Wildlife Encounters

The birdlife was not as good as I was expecting unfortunately. Except for those friendly fantails (piwakawaka) which kept following us along the path, flitting around like they were showing off. Evana pointed out a spot near one of the small footbridges where a resident morepork (ruru) apparently hangs out, though we weren’t lucky enough to spot it today.

I was really stoked by some of the giant trees we saw, including:

  • A massive kahikatea that must have been about 1.8 metres across
  • These towering puriri and totara trees that just dominate the forest
  • Some beautiful stands of kauri that made me stop and stare

 

A Bit of Adventure

There was one spot where we had to cross the Puhoi River at a ford because apparently a bridge was washed away in that big rainfall back in January 2023. Evana gave us the heads-up beforehand, so we came prepared with proper footwear. The water level was sweet today, but I reckon it gets dodgy after heavy rain.

Perfect End to the Day

After finishing our walk, Evana had thoughtfully booked a table for lunch at the Puhoi Pub. Nothing flash – just good kai – but it was exactly what we needed after our walk. We all sat around, yarning about our favourite moments from the trail while enjoying our meals. The atmosphere was nice for unwinding after our adventure.

I’m so rapt that Evana organised this whole trip. She’s brilliant at putting these outings together for our Fitness Hub group from Snells Beach. Can’t wait to see what she plans next!

This track is such a gem – just about 50 km north of Auckland but feels like you’re in a completely different world. Sweet as for a day trip when you need to escape the city. I’m definitely keen to explore more of the Te Araroa Trail after this taste!

Map location and track

My 3d Map of Puhoi Lookout Track to Remiger Rd

Photos from my walk

See more of my walks in Warkworth