Best Walks & Hiking Tracks in Rotorua: Redwoods, Lakes & Waterfalls

Rotorua is a walker's city. Within a short drive of the centre you can wander beneath some of the tallest trees in the southern hemisphere, circle a sapphire-blue lake, stand beside waterfalls, cross steaming geothermal terrain and follow boardwalks over birdlife-rich wetlands. Best of all, most of these tracks are completely free.

Here are the best-loved walks and hiking tracks in Rotorua, grouped by what kind of outing you are after.

The icon: The Redwoods – Whakarewarewa Forest

No walking guide to Rotorua starts anywhere else. The Redwoods – Whakarewarewa Forest is the city's signature green space, where towering Californian coast redwoods create a cathedral-like canopy minutes from the CBD. There are six signposted walking tracks, from gentle short loops that take under an hour to longer tracks heading deeper into the forest, plus lake walks toward Tikitapu and Rotokakahi.

The short loops are perfect for families and casual walkers. If you want to extend the experience, the forest is also home to the paid Redwoods Treewalk, a suspended walkway through the canopy that is spectacular at dusk when it is lit up. The walking tracks themselves are free, and the visitor centre at the entrance has maps.

Easy walks for families

Hamurana Springs Nature Reserve

A flat, easy stroll beneath more redwoods leads you to the North Island's deepest freshwater spring, where impossibly clear water wells up from the earth. The reserve is cared for by descendants of Ngāti Rangiwewehi, who offer guided walks that share the area's stories, and there is a café on site. It is one of the gentlest and most rewarding short walks in the region.

Lake Okareka Walkway

The Lake Okareka Walkway features a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk over wetlands with a birdwatching hide, making it a favourite for families, prams and anyone after a relaxed stroll with plenty to look at. Keep an eye out for waterfowl in the reeds.

Sulphur Point / Sulphur Bay Walk

For a walk you can start on foot from town, the flat lakeside boardwalk at Sulphur Point crosses a steaming geothermal wildlife refuge alive with birdlife, beginning right by the Government Gardens. The contrast of bubbling sulphur, pale mineral crusts and wading birds is uniquely Rotorua, and it is an easy out-and-back at any pace.

Lake loops

Blue Lake (Tikitapu) Track

The Blue Lake (Tikitapu) Track is a pretty 5.5km loop circling Lake Tikitapu through native bush and past sandy swimming beaches. A short detour reaches a lookout over the colour contrast between the blue lake and the neighbouring Green Lake (Rotokakahi). Mostly flat and well-formed, it is a satisfying half-day with a swim built in for summer.

Waterfall walks

Okere Falls Track

The Okere Falls Track is a short, well-formed bush walk with dramatic lookouts over the Kaituna River's waterfalls and rapids, including the 7m Tutea Falls that white water rafters drop over. Watching a raft launch off the falls from the viewing platforms is a thrill in itself, and it pairs perfectly with a Kaituna rafting trip, see our Rotorua rafting guide for the operators who run it.

For experienced walkers

Tarawera Trail

The Tarawera Trail is a 15km lakeside day walk that is increasingly rated among New Zealand's most beautiful. It traces the shore of Lake Tarawera through native forest and finishes at Hot Water Beach, where geothermal heat warms the lake-edge sand so you can dig your own soaking pool. Many walkers arrange a water taxi back across the lake rather than retracing their steps. It is a longer, more committing walk, so plan transport and check the forecast.

Rainbow Mountain (Maunga Kakaramea) Summit Track

Near Waiotapu, the Rainbow Mountain Summit Track climbs through vividly coloured geothermal terrain, named for the reds, yellows and oranges of the mineral-stained slopes, to a summit with sweeping views over the lakes and central plateau. It is a moderate climb with a big payoff, and you pass crater lakes on the way up.

A walk for every kind of day

• Short on time or with kids? The Redwoods short loops, Hamurana Springs or Lake Okareka.
• Want a swim with your walk? The Blue Lake (Tikitapu) loop.
• Chasing waterfalls? Okere Falls Track.
• After a full-day adventure? The Tarawera Trail or Rainbow Mountain summit.
• Only got an hour in town? The Sulphur Point boardwalk from the Government Gardens.

Tips for walking in Rotorua

• Wear proper footwear. Forest tracks can be muddy after Rotorua's frequent rain.
• Carry water and sun protection, even on cool days; the open geothermal sections offer little shade.
• Respect the cultural sites. Many tracks cross land of deep significance to local iwi, stay on the formed paths and observe any signage.
• Check access for the Tarawera Trail and arrange your water taxi or return transport in advance.

Plan the rest of your trip

Rotorua's free walks are the perfect low-cost counterweight to its bigger-ticket attractions. Combine a morning forest walk with an afternoon at the geysers or hot pools, and you have a full, balanced day. If you are continuing around the country, our sister guides for Wellington, Queenstown and Auckland cover their own best tracks, and Indo Kiwi Travel can help tie a multi-region trip together.

Lace up, breathe in that redwood-and-sulphur air, and discover why Rotorua is one of the North Island's finest walking destinations.