Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: April 2025
Tongariro National Park is the oldest national park in New Zealand. It’s an active volcanic area that is known for its desolate yet colourful terrain. It’s also famously featured in Lord of the Rings, serving as the backdrop of Mordor, with Mount Ngauruhoe, a stratovolcano with a near-perfect conical shape, as Mount Doom.
Day 1: Volcanoes, Views and Waterfalls
After spending the past day driving from Wellington to Ohakune, a small town just south of Tongariro, we were looking forward to doing some hiking. It was currently overcast and there was a small chance of rain later in the afternoon, so we didn’t dilly dally.
It was a short drive to the main entrance of the park, about 40 minutes from where we were staying. To warm up we started with something short, the Ridge Walk (1.2km, rated easy). The trail climbs upwards through the forest into alpine shrubland to a viewpoint of Mount Ngauruhoe (also known as Mount Doom). There was some sort of elevated wooden platform at the end of the trail that we weren’t sure if it was for seating or standing to get a better view.
We hopped back in the car and continued driving through the park just to see where the road leads. The road abruptly ends at a small ski village nestled in the barren volcanic landscape. There wasn’t any snow yet and the village was empty.
We turned around and headed to the Taranaki Falls Track (6km loop, rated moderate). The trail weaves through a few different habits all the while providing excellent views of the mountains. We hiked clockwise, first passing through alpine shrubland. We dipped in and out of the forest and criss-crossed the river a few times.
Near the midway point the trail passes Taranaki Falls. There were lots of steps down, then back up. But from there the path levels out and follows the Wairere Stream for a bit. The forest eventually gave way to shrubland before looping back to the parking lot.
We were approaching nap time. We squeezed in a couple more stops on the drive out of the park. The first was to get a better shot of Mount Doom.
The second was to hike the Tawhai Falls Walk (0.8km, rated easy). It’s a super short trail (with a lot of wasps for some reason) that leads to a small waterfall that tumbles into a brilliant blue coloured pond. It’s commonly referred to as Gollum’s Pool. It was featured in the Forbidden Pool scene in The Two Towers where Faramir and his men watch Gollum catch a fish in the water, close to their hideout.
M must have been having a good time as she refused to go down for a nap on the drive back to our motel. So we ate a late lunch then ventured back out later in the afternoon to hike the Mangawhero Forest Walk (3km loop, rated easy). It’s also part of the national park, but in the southern section near where we were staying. We combined the trail with the Rimu Walk to form a slightly longer loop. The trails are relatively flat and weave through the dense and lush forest, which was quite the contrast from the landscape we explored earlier in the day.
The clouds had cleared by the time we circled back to the car. To take advantage of the remaining daylight we went for a scenic drive along the Mountain Road. It’s paved with plenty of twists and turns and beautiful views of the mountains. There’s also a few viewpoints and trails along the way. We stopped at Mangawhero Falls (300 metres). There’s a short path that leads to a small viewing area of the falls, which was more like a trickle, but the views of the mountains made it all worthwhile.
We drove the rest of the way along the road, which ends at a ski area. From there we turned around and headed to our motel, enjoying the golden glow from the setting sun.
Day 2: Silica Rapids
The next morning we packed up and hit the road north towards Rotorua. The weather forecast was not looking promising over the next few days. And today was calling for 25mm of rain throughout the morning and afternoon. But you know where it wasn’t supposed to rain? Tongariro. So we headed back for some more hiking. Plus it was on the way.
We arrived at the main section of the park shortly after 10am. It was 16°C and overcast, but we could still see some sunshine and bits of blue in between the clouds. Perfect weather for hiking. We planned to hike the Silica Rapids Walk (7km loop). Along the drive we missed the turnoff for the main car park. But not to worry as there’s an upper car park located a couple kilometres further along the road.
The path is mostly gravel with a few short boardwalks and stairs. It leads through several different landscapes, starting with shrubbery and wetlands. It worked out nicely that it was cloudy as there is no shade on this portion of the path. We were also thankful that it wasn’t windy.
Along the way there’s a number of signs that provide more info about the geology of the area. The first section that we hiked through crosses an old lava flow from about 15,000 years ago. Much of the rock has eroded from the elements and has now been covered in soil and vegetation, but not in all places.
After about 45 minutes of hiking we reached the Silica Rapids. There were several small cascades and waterfalls where the rocks and ground under the water were covered in a thick creamy white layer.
Rain water and snow melt seeps into the ground through fissures in the rocks. It gets so deep that it is heated by an underlying reservoir of hot rocks and it picks up gas escaping from the molten rocks below. As the hot water rises along a fault or large crack it reacts with the surrounding andesitic rock and absorbs minerals, mostly silicate and aluminum. It then bubbles up to the surface through a spring at the base of a lava flow further up the valley. As the gas starts to escape and the minerals become less soluble, they are left behind on the rocky surfaces of the stream. The more turbulent the flow, the more gas is lost and this speeds up the mineral deposition which appears creamy white.
The trail continues onward, following the river where the ground and rocks underneath appear rusty red. Volcanic ash rich soils are rich in iron minerals and boggy areas are low in oxygen and are peaty and acidic. The mix of conditions causes the iron minerals to react, releasing iron into the water.
The landscape changes considerably as the trail passes through a shaded dense beech forest. The path also levels out quite a bit. The trail momentarily leaves the forest and crosses a boardwalk through an alpine bog.
We were then back in the forest, enjoying a few mushrooms and glimpses of the river along the way.
The trail comes out to the lower car park. From there it’s about a 2km walk along the road to return to the upper car park to complete the loop. This was easily the worst part of the hike. There wasn’t much of a shoulder on either side of the road. And there were quite a few bends in the road too which made it challenging to see oncoming traffic. Thankfully it wasn’t too busy. But it also didn’t help that it was all uphill too.
We wrapped up around 12:30pm. After eating a quick bite to eat we hit the road again. We still had a 2.5 hour drive to Rotorua and were looking forward to resting our tired feet.
L
I bet you were! Thank you very much for sharing, Linda. I enjoyed riding along on your shoulder. This is such a varied and eclectic region; the topography is stunning. Great photos, especially your header. Beautiful.
Thanks for your lovely comment, Lynette. This area is often overlooked, which meant we had the trails mainly all to ourselves. You’re right, the terrain was varied and went from extremes to lush forests, alpine shrubbery and barren volcanic rocks. It was a fabulous area to explore.
A lot of beautiful places to see in two days! I can understand why M wouldn’t want to take a nap when she could see more of the national park. I haven’t seen much of the LoTR, but I can see why NZ would inspire a lot of the scenery.
It was nice that we were staying close to the national park and were able to spend more time hiking than driving. Our little one loves being outside. I wasn’t surprised she couldn’t nap as there was so much going on. I can’t believe you’ve never seen LOTR!! Lyssy! It’s one of the best set of films. Ever!!
I always say I’m movie deprived!
These days I can relate. Ever since having a kid, there hasn’t been any time to watch movies or much tv anymore. I honestly have no idea where the time goes!
Wow! What beautiful views. Must have been a wonderful hike.
The landscape was incredibly beautiful, colourful and varied. I particularly enjoyed the alpine shrubbery. It was a lovely area to hike. And it wasn’t very busy, which is always a bonus.
Very beautiful views.
The whole landscape was picturesque and very different depending where you were in the park.
Very nice landscape.
Hiking was a great way to enjoy the scenery and beautiful landscape.
Agree with you, one of the best activity and exercise also.
Absolutely! Hiking is my favourite form of exercise and walking in general is one of my favourite ways to explore a city.
Nice one, keep it up.
Thanks! That’s the plan! We’re hoping for more travels and hiking adventures in 2026! Enjoy the holidays.
Such other worldly beauty, Linda. I can only imagine what it was like to experience it in person. How awesome you got to see Mount Doom and the other LOTR locations in real life. I can see why they filmed there. They’re now filming the movie adaptation of the video game The Legend of Zelda in New Zealand too and I can imagine why!
M is going to have such amazing memories of all these places and travels one day. What a great start to a lifetime of travel ahead!
It was neat to see the contrast in landscape from extreme barren volcanic rocks to lush dense forests. But Mount Doom was the real show stopper. The landscape was so varied in the park, but it’s like that throughout all of New Zealand. It’s amazing how they were able to fill all of LOTR there. The Legend of Zelda movie should be interesting.
I’m really glad we’ve done a lot of travelling with M so far. She seems to enjoy exploring new places. And she seems to share our love of the outdoors. Now we just need to plan our next big adventure! I think we’ve settled on our summer trip of driving the Whale Coast in Quebec along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River and then take a ferry into Labrador.
Your Quebec and Labrador itinerary sounds wonderful! I can’t wait to hear and see all about it. I’m trying to convince the hubby to do Norway. It might just be a pipe dream though. Will keep you posted. 😂
Norway! That would be amaaaazing! I’m totally supportive so I can get some good ideas and inspiration!!
Hope you’re ready for the holidays! 3 more sleeps until Christmas!
Don’t get too excited. It’ll probably end up being local in Canada. But it’s good to dream. 😁 We’re all very excited for Christmas over here!
That it is! And there’s nothing wrong with exploring more of Canada! It’s definitely looking very festive and magical outside with all the snow we got last night. Shovelling isn’t going to be fun though. But it’s a good way to burn off the calories from all the holiday sweets and treats!
Stunning photos of this area Linda. If you can’t find a good walk/hike/trek in NZ, you just are not trying. We drove through Tongariro on our first visit in 1988 with our 16 month old son. He tried a short hill climb on our one hike, fell and was not impressed, so we drove on, taking in the scenery. You gotta love NZ. Happy Tuesday Linda. Allan
You’re absolutely right, there’s no shortage of places to hike in NZ. We were impressed at how many national parks and conservation areas there were. And that they were all free to visit. Enjoy the rest of the week Allan. Hope you’re all ready for the holidays. Cheers, Linda.
What amazing hiking trails for you and such diverse scenery. I love that you could see “Mount Doom”.
Mount Doom looks very impressive in real life. It’s very visually appealing given its symmetrical shape. There’s a trail that passes close by with an option to even hike up to the summit, but it was too long for our liking.
A huge Lord of the Rings fan here. So many spots looked familiar. It wasn’t an area that we explored when we were there so thanks for taking us along. Cool to see their ski hill base. Man M ks a trooper!
I’m a huge LOTR fan as well and couldn’t resist seeing a bit of Mordor and Mount Doom! This area is often overlooked, which I’m not quite sure why. The hiking is fantastic and the landscape is quite varied and unusual. We could have easily stayed another day. M was in her element. She loves being outdoors.
Wow, what an amazing experience, dear Linda 🙂 With all the active volcanoes, beautiful views, waterfalls and Lord of the Rings credentials, it’s safe to say that a visit to Tongariro National Park will be an unforgettable experience for any visitor. I am glad to hear you had a chance to see Mount Doom – it is a key part of the narrative and a popular real-world destination for fans. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
The landscape is full of extremes with lush forests to barren volcanic rocks. It was a neat place to explore. I can see why it was featured in LOTR as Mordor. There’s a trail that passes Mount Doom where there’s an option to climb it, but it’s 20km one-way. That seemed a bit too extreme for us and our little one. We’ll have to save that for a future visit. Thanks for reading. Hope you’re all ready for the holidays. I imagine your girls are getting excited for Christmas. Cheers, Linda.
what an incredible mix of volcanos and waterfalls- the whole landscape seems to be alive with movement and depth!
I love how you phrased it. The landscape was very unusual and varied, which definitely added depth. It was a neat area to explore and I’m glad we returned for a second day to do more hiking.
Another scenic day Linda. We’ve visited the North Island and recall following some Tawhai Falls look beautiful with its crystal clear water.
I’m glad we spent another day in the national park to avoid the rain. The scenery is quite lovely and varied. And it’s always nice to see some waterfalls.
That’s where we want to go when we go to NZ!
Highly recommend! This area is often overlooked, which I’m not sure why. The hiking is excellent and the scenery is fabulous. The fact that part of LOTR was filmed there was also an added bonus.
That is so neat you were able to see some of the backdrop ‘set’ of LOTR! Your picture of Gollum’s Pool looks so much more beautifully tranquil than it does in the movie. And while all your photos are really wonderful, the last two look especially magical!
It was neat to visit some of the filming locations featured in LOTR. This national park isn’t as popular as some of the others on the island, which was surprising as the scenery was beautiful. No complaints from us as it meant the trails were relatively quiet, which is just how we like it.
Oh my, Mount Doom and so many other LOTR’s sites, how amazing to see them. This particular area of NZ looks quite mystical; it’s understandable that they chose this area for filming. Wonderful photos and commentary; no wonder little one didn’t want to nap!
Oh I know. I was surprised at how varied the landscape is in NZ. And agreed, it’s not hard to see why the entire LOTR trilogy was filmed there. It does look mythical and ethereal. It’s all very beautiful.
I found it to be a wilder, more austere part of New Zealand. I must have ended up in the same deserted mountain village. It was grey and windy that day, not the best memory for me, but definitely very different landscapes.
The landscape in Tongariro is very different compared to anywhere else in NZ. While we would have loved to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, we figured it was a bit too intense with a toddler and instead stuck to the shorter and simpler trails. Sorry to hear that the weather was gloomy and windy when you visited. But at least it wasn’t raining!
Whoa, neat! The waterfalls are pretty, but definitely the volcano is the highlight. It makes perfect sense that NZ would be volcanic, now that I stop to think about it, but I never had before so I was really surprised as soon as I saw your cover photo.
Oh yah, Mount Doom was definitely the highlight. It was hard to ignore given how much it dominates the landscape. Apparently you can even climb to the summit. We didn’t try as hiking on flat terrain is challenging enough with a toddler strapped to your back!
I found the trail there comfortable for tourists with beautiful pathways built by people. It looks scenic and worthwhile. I love the stream with white flowers nearby. So lovely. And your forest walk is surely a satisfying one. I enjoyed all the amazing photos.
We were pleasantly surprised at how well-signed and managed the trails were throughout New Zealand. And there’s also no shortage of fabulous places to hike. We enjoyed our time surrounded by nature in Tongariro. It was very peaceful and scenic.
Linda — thank you for sharing this beautifully paced and thoughtfully observed journey through Tongariro National Park. Your writing captures both the elemental drama of the volcanic landscape and the practical rhythms of traveling with a young child, which makes the experience feel grounded and human. The way you weave geology, weather, and walking together—especially at Silica Rapids—pairs wonderfully with your photographs. A truly engaging and generous travel narrative.
Thanks for your kind words Michael. I was surprised at how drastically the landscape changed in the park from dense forests to harsh volcanic rocks. Silica Rapids was one of our favourite trails and a great way to experience a few different habitats in the park. Plus we had some pretty great views of the mountains too.
What a wonderful adventure with so many amazing places to see, particularly the waterfalls and volcanic landscape. it is all so pretty and mystical which I suppose is perfect for the world of Tolkien. Were you not scared in case you crossed paths with any dwarves or hobbits?
Ha! We were more expecting orcs than dwarves or hobbits!! The landscape definitely had a mystical and magical vibe to it. And after visiting NZ I can definitely see why the entire LOTR trilogy was filmed here.
Two days with very different landscapes. The mineral streams look nice but I prefer the mountain views. Nice alpine glow at the end of day 1. Maggie
The terrain was quite varied throughout the park. You’re right, those mountains were definitely the star of the show, especially Mount Doom. I’m glad we took advantage of the nice weather and went for a longer drive at the end of our first day to enjoy the golden glow as the sun was setting.
It’s stunning! I love the variety with the rocks, tree lined paths, high waterfalls and lots more. What a perfect place to spend a couple of days out in nature.
And it wasn’t raining, which is always a bonus when hiking! I’m glad we spent an extra day here as the trails were all incredibly scenic.
I’m always amazed at how much magnificent scenery New Zealand packs into a relatively small space.
Oh I know! New Zealand is full of amazing scenery and surprises. And it’s a much bigger country than we thought! We could have easily stayed for longer.
As someone who has watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy multiple times, I’m really interested in seeing the original locations of the places in the story. It’s funny that the landscape around Mount Ngauruhoe is so different from how Mordor is depicted in the movies. Although Mangawhero Falls was more like a trickle when you went, the views were really worth stopping. I really enjoyed the scenery along the Silica Rapids Walk.
There’s a famous hike in the park called Tongariro Alpine Crossing that traverses through really rugged volcanic terrain that’s more reminiscent of the harsh and desolate landscape depicted in Morodor. It was nearly 20km one-way and didn’t seem all that appealing to do while carrying a toddler. It looks pretty amazing though and something for us to add to the list for when we return someday.
What an incredible journey. From the volcanic landscapes to the quiet forests, it sounds like an unforgettable experience. And these photos are beautiful.
Thanks for taking us along with you.
Thanks for your kind words Willie. The landscape was filled with extremes but it was nonetheless all very beautiful. And it’s always to nice to have a bit of variety while hiking.
How fascinating to see your Story, your journey, passing through that wonderful fictional Story landscape that caught the imagination of so many people, brilliantly told.
You are too kind. We had a wonderful time exploring Tongariro. The landscape looked so mystical and magical. It seemed to have a bit of something for everyone whether you enjoy the forest, waterfalls, mountains, wetlands or alpine shrubbery.
Looks like an amazing hike. As always beautiful pictures.
The hiking was very enjoyable as the scenery was quite varied and there weren’t many people around. Plus it wasn’t raining, which is always a bonus.
Great Captures!!
Thanks for your kind words and leaving a comment. The landscape came to life when we visited and it was neat to see how varied it was throughout the trails that we explored.
Mount Doom! So cool to see it in a blog. Reminds me of visiting Iceland.
Now that you mention it, there are quite a bit of similarities in the landscape between Iceland and New Zealand. There’s glaciers, volcanoes and mountains. And no matter where you go, the scenery is just breathtaking.
Such beautiful scenery, love the waterfall. Look forward to seeing Rotorua!
The landscape was wild and untamed and there weren’t many people around, which made for a pleasant experience.
The landscape of New Zealand is always gorgeous. I didn’t get to much in the north island, so I’m delighted to see it through your eyes. Especially Mount Doom – I didn’t know where that was filmed.
You’re absolutely right. No matter where you are in New Zealand, the scenery is always beautiful. This area is often overlooked, but we enjoyed the wild landscape and it was neat to see Mount Doom in person.
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Thanks! Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas too!
The wise man tests the ground with a stick; the fool tests it with both feet.
Ha! Love that saying! We’re probably more foolish than wise!
So stunning! I was supposed to head to this part on my visit to New Zealand, but we got rained out- it’s kind of my white whale of NZ lol
Sorry to hear that you had to change plans because of the weather and missed out on this park. Hiking in the rain is never fun though. We would have loved to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, but it seemed a bit too much given we were travelling with our daughter who was about 16 months at the time of our visit. Who knows, maybe we’ll make our way back to NZ someday.
The sceneries are ever so stunning! I will never tire of them. Beautiful pictures, as always!
Thanks for your lovely comment. The landscape was so wild and untamed here, which made for some excellent hiking. Plus it wasn’t very busy, which is always a bonus.
Happy new year. If you ever get a chance hike around Mount Saint Helen in Oregon for the full volcanic experience. He seems like you were looking for much more than volcanoes on this hike.
We actually drove near Mount Saint Helen when we were in Oregon a few years ago and stopped at the visitor centre. The roads were still closed at higher elevations due to the snow. I have a feeling we’ll be back someday as I’d love to also visit Crater Lake National Park.
Lord of the rings was filmed there ??!? That’s so neat . It’s neat to be the oldest l, too. Beautiful photos. Looks like you guys had quite the adventure. Awesome 😎
The terrain was full of extremes. There’s also not much around, which really gives you the sense that you’re out in the wild. We had a wonderful time hiking and enjoying the landscape. We were half expecting orcs to pop out from the shadows.
Oh my gosh I love that you mentioned the orcs hahaha 🤣🤣. We love those movies. That is definitely a place I’d love to visit. I could imagine the area being very bumpy and steep. That’s a neat feeling, feeling you’re out by yourself. I love that feeling. I hiked Francis Slocum alone one day in the winter. It felt like magic. I’m glad you guys enjoyed hiking and the landscape. Sounds like a great trip. Love the photos as well ,!!!
Same, LOTR are among my favourite movies. I’m actually reading Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas. For several decades he wrote letters to his children as Father Christmas. They are a piece of art – beautifully written and often accompanied with drawings and paintings too.
It’s a wonderful feeling to have the trail to yourself. And hiking in the winter can definitely feel peaceful and magical.
It absolutely can! That sounds like a cool read. I love the magic in certain books. They transport you to any place.
It’s really fun. We’re thinking about doing something similar with our little one. Would be neat to use the same characters as Tolkien, and create a new story line.
That would be awesome. I vote yes !!!!
Thanks! Luckily we have nearly a full year to figure it out! But we’re already brainstorming a few ideas for the first couple of letters.
That’s awesome.
Those waterfall locations are breathtaking. Would be hard to leave! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks Michele. We’ll never get tired of seeing waterfalls. Each one is so different and yet they are all beautiful.
This area looks truly spectacular with the waterfalls and landscape, wow!!!
The landscape was quite dramatic and untamed. It’s a bit out of the way, but it’s a wonderful national park to enjoy the scenery without the crowds.
Great photos Linda. The waterfalls are stunning.
Thanks! Each waterfall was unique. I’m glad we ended up returning for a second day to do a bit more hiking in this national park.