A combined trip with the Rotorua Botanical Society. Contact the organiser to arrange meeting points and register for the trip.

Image: Lepidothamnus laxifolius (‘pygmy pine’), the world’s smallest conifer, growing near the summit of the Urchin

Meet: Saturday at 10:00am at the DOC campground located about 5kms up Kaimanawa Road. Kaimanawa Road is about 16kms south of Turangi. Some of us are going to be staying at the DOC campsite overnight on Friday night.

Bring: Warm clothes, tents, sleeping bags, cooking gear etc. (if camping)

Saturday: Urchin Trig Track – climbs from 800 metres to 1400 metres. Grade: Medium The track climbs steadily up through beech forest and above the bush line to the Urchin Trig (1391 m). The upper section of the track has an interesting array of alpine plants and a wide vista of Lake Taupō and the volcanoes of the Tongariro National Park. Stay at the above DOC campsite overnight

Sunday: Tree Trunk Gorge Track Meet: For those coming for the day meet at 10:00am at the DOC campground located about 5kms up Kaimanawa Road. Kaimanawa Road is about 16kms south of Turangi. Grade: Easy This track follows the line of an old road associated with the Tongariro Power Scheme. Red beech surrounds the track for most of the way but close to the Tree Trunk Gorge end an open ridge provides good views out to Tongariro National Park. There are several small streams to cross and one larger one 15 minutes from the southern exit/entrance.

The view from the summit of the Urchin.