Two lowland walks in Egmont National Park

Thje first walk we did was the Ngatoro Track to the Visitor Centre through beauty lowland forest.

I would call the Ngatoro Track more of a tramping experience, as it is on the lower elevation of Mt Taranaki and starts at the Mangaoraka parking area on the left side of the road leading up to the visitor centre. It is signposted.

The carpark is not a large one and has a picnic table and toilets. The entrance to the Ngatoro Track is signposted and starts at the bush entrance by the picnic table going down steep stairs and then over an unbridged stream which fortunately was only ankle deep and I was able to leap from one small boulder to another to cross.

This beautiful track is an uphill struggle where it ends at the visitor fitness can be done in less time. centre. The time to complete it depends on your level of fitness. It is timed at about two and a half hours or more for those just out for a day trip and an adventure. Tramping and

Above left: Orange arrow on the tree trunks.

Above right: Creepy face on the ground on the Ngatoro Track.

Below left: Entrance to the Ngatoro Track to visitor centre.

Below right: Steep areas of stairs on the Ngatoro Track.

Opposite page: Unbridged streams can become a torrent. on the Ngatoro Track.

By Judy Eva

I must admit the scenery in this beautiful lowland forest is stunning taking you through rata, rimu, tree ferns, mountain cedar, totara, kamahi and many other delightful forest beauty including the goblin area’s spread throughout the climb.

The track is overgrown and very narrow in parts but easy to follow as