Walks & Tracks
near Pāpāmoa

Te Ara o Wairakei is Pāpāmoa's signature coastal walkway, running parallel to the beach through the heart of the suburb. The shared path links residential areas, the beach, Karaka Pines retirement village and connects toward The Sands Town Centre. It's flat, well-paved and popular with walkers, runners and cyclists at all hours. Beach access points are frequent - duck off the path for a beach walk at any point. Dogs are welcome on-lead in most sections; check current TCC rules for the Pāpāmoa Shared Path under proposed bylaw changes (March 2026 consultation).

Pāpāmoa's 16-kilometre white sand beach is one of the longest accessible beaches in the Bay of Plenty. Walk west toward Mount Maunganui for cafe access and the iconic Mauao backdrop, or head east toward the quieter stretches near the Kaituna River for solitude and fishing. The full beach from Mount boundary to Kaituna River is doable in around 3.5–4 hours one way with good conditions. Dogs are welcome on most of the beach and must be under effective control; prohibited near the Pāpāmoa Surf Club and in front of the Domain. See the Dogs in Pāpāmoa page for full rules.

The classic track to the 224-metre summit of the Pāpāmoa Hills, passing through pine forest, native bush and open grassland. The summit trig station offers sweeping views from the Coromandel Peninsula to East Cape on a clear day. The track rises steeply from the Poplar Lane carpark. Reopened 3 April 2026 via an alternative route from the main Poplar Lane carpark following the January 2026 landslips; the Pūraho and Summerhills Tracks are also open, while four connecting tracks remain closed (checked July 2026).

An open route to the Pāpāmoa Hills summit, starting from the Summerhill Recreation Farm carpark on Reid Road rather than the usual Poplar Lane entrance. Reaches the trig station at the 224-metre summit with panoramic Bay of Plenty views. Good walking shoes and water essential - no water supply in the park.

The Kaituna River forms the eastern boundary of Pāpāmoa and flows into the ocean at Te Tumu. The lower Kaituna offers birdwatching, wetland scenery and a quieter alternative to the beach walk. The river is also popular for white-water kayaking upstream at Okere Falls - outside Pāpāmoa but a common day trip. Access from Kaituna Road or Te Tumu Road near the river mouth.

Mauao and all its walking tracks are closed to the public following the fatal landslides of 22 January 2026. Remediation work is under way, but no reopening date has been set (status last checked: July 2026 - see tauranga.govt.nz for updates). When open, Mauao (232 metres), a short drive west along the beach from Pāpāmoa, is one of New Zealand's most iconic walks: the base track (3.4 km loop, 45 min, easy) circles the mountain at sea level with spectacular harbour and ocean views, and the summit track adds significant elevation and takes 1.5–2 hours return. Dogs are prohibited on Mauao at all times.

The walks above are graded by difficulty so you can pick something that suits your fitness and the day. As a rough guide:

Easy - flat or gently sloping, well-formed surfaces. Suitable for most ages and fitness levels, and often fine for prams and wheelchairs on the paved coastal sections.

Moderate - some hills, steps or uneven ground; a reasonable level of fitness and sturdy shoes recommended. The Pāpāmoa Hills tracks sit here.

Hard - steeper, longer or rougher underfoot, with sustained climbs. Good fitness and proper footwear needed; the Mauao summit is the toughest option close to Pāpāmoa.

A few terms worth knowing: a loop returns you to the start by a different route, return means you walk out and back the same way, and one way assumes a pick-up or second car at the far end. Listed times are a moving guide only - add time for photos, rests, hot days and young children.