Best Trails in Tongariro National Park

Amazing day hike. I just did an out and back from the Mangatepopo parking lot to the blue lake. Solid hike, but then I decided to also hike up Mount Doom. That was hard and I thought about turning back a couple times, but made it up for some fantastic views.

Nice trail even in the mist/rain. The waterfall is beautiful. Recommend starting at the north to avoid going up the steps as they are very steep.

Easy trail for a beautiful waterfall view. Also, Gollum’s pool.

Again, overcast. Nice, calm trail!

Great to do with Maori guide. Great mineral deposits in the rivers. Unfortunately, too cloudy to see the mountains.

Beautiful short hike to a waterfall with beautiful backdrop of volcanoes. What more can you ask for. Easy hike to do in a short period of time.

One of the toughest and most memorable day hikes I have ever done. I don't do overnike thru hikes so this was perfect for me. Started in reverse it seemed from north end to the west end as most people were walking the opposite direction. It's exhausting much of the way to the crater lakes but the killer part was the steep gravel "stairway" to the actual highest point of the crossing. The views are killer amazing though. Didn't arrange for transport but hitched a ride with some friendly chinese folks with a van. So lucky. Highly recommended hike :D (Hiked in October 2017. Climate was cool and happened to have a nice clear sky day)

What a great walk, we had all temperatures, from T-shirt to hoodie and jacket. Really a nice and impressive hike

A great loop trail that follows the river and beautiful up close view of the waterfall. Recommend starting at the entrance to the left of the road rather than the other entrance by the end of the car park.

Easy to follow trail, gorgeous views, informative signposts about the trees and so many beautiful birds! A lovely stroll.

Legendary view! Make sure you pick a sunny/cloudy day with no strong winds.

Beautiful and challenging

The trail starts and ends in a relatively boring fashion. But that is made up for it by the middle section, where the views are spectacular. The only remotely challenging section on the trail on a clear day is the downhill after red crater, towards the lakes. The rest is exceptionally easy, including the uphill sections. They are short and not as steep as the hike profiles suggest. The downhill gradient after emerald lake is not steep or challenging enough in terms of terrain, to necessitate the need for poles. On a clear day, easily doable in 3.5 hours without many breaks or stops for photos.

Great day and a great hike. Beautiful 360 degree views. We parked at the Ketetahi end and took a shuttle to the Mangatepopo side. It was a calm clear day and the views were amazing. There was a little bit of mud and ice at the higher elevations. Highly recommend as a must do if in New Zealand.

Amazing views we did the upper section of walk first which I highly recommend then you get to go down stairs instead of walking up well looked after track we did this walk in the rain as we were unable to do the tongario crossing the photo taken is on this walk with mount Ngauruhoe in background very child friendly too

The weather was so good that day and the sky is clear so that you can see all the mountains. The crossing is long and the descent is the hardest part, but the track is in a very good condition!

Great little walk, more of a leg stretch than a hike but a beautiful spot.

This is a truly spectacular trail that takes you through an amazing variety of landscapes and scenery. Forests, rolling hills, steep mountains, desolate lava rocks, stunning lakes, majestic waterfalls. You name it, this trail likely has it. I did the trail in about 3 days, staying the first night at Oturere Campsite and the second night at Mangatepopo Campsite. I think going anti-clockwise was definitely the way to go. I stayed at the Skotel Tongariro the nights before and after the hike. I will say, though, that it should probably be marked “Difficult” instead of “Moderate.” I’ve done many of AllTrails’ difficult hikes, and this was by far the most challenging trail I’ve done. If I were to do it all again, I think I would have done it in 4 days instead of 3. I took some online advice to go straight from Whakapapa to Oturere, skipping the first hit and campsite. While not skipping the first hut would have made for a short day 2, skipping it made for a VERY long day 1, and I was quite ready for a break by the time I got to that first hut. I also MIGHT consider skipping the stretch between Mangatepopo and Whakapapa and just catching a shuttle from the Tongariro Crossing trailhead back to Whakapapa. That stretch of trail was by far the least scenic, and was amazingly unkept. You are literally walking through 1 meter deep trenches for large chunks of it.

Definitely a must do when in the north island, but only if you have some amount of hiking experience!! It’s LONG, a very tiring day that will leave your feet sore at the last few kilometres, but super worth it. I experienced all weather conditions, and wore everything from a down coat to a windbreaker to a fleece and a T-shirt with a base layer. Strongly recommend a good pair of hiking boots. We finished in 6.5 hours with a long (~1 hour) break for lunch at the emerald pools. Make sure the weather is good before going up because the red crater ridge was scary because of the crazy wind!! Overall, an amazing hike with unparalleled views, and generally not the hardest hike I’ve ever done...not easy, the ascents are steep, but they don’t last long. 2 L of water was perfect, as well as lunch and one bag of peanuts. Definitely would do it again.

Great day hike. Well maintained trail however tons of people. Lakes are beautiful but never touch them. They are sacred to the Maori. Amazing how many hikers don't know this or don't care. Bring layers, rain gear, at least 2 liters of water and lunch. In my opinion, this trail is not difficult at all... It's just a bit long for most (12+ miles).

Super busy. Paid for the shuttle $35nzd per person to take you from the parking lot to the beginning of the trail.

We did it Wed 24 April along with about 1,200 other people: “Heavily trafficked” barely gets it; this was more like Oxford Street on a Saturday. 5 stars for strenuous and truly fantastic views at the top and first half of descent. But first hour and last two pretty boring. You should take at least one stick for the first 500m of descent. The best place for lunch is the third lake - about 30 mins after the summit. It does not stink of sulphur, there is plenty of room and passably comfortable ground.

Best hike I have ever done! Took 6 hours to complete. This hike is rated as difficult but for an active hiker it was not as challenging as I expected, it is a really great break up between the difficult sections and flat ground to catch your breath. The devils staircase and red crater ridge will have your legs feeling warm but totally worth it. Power through the devils staircase and you will be done before you know it, if you stop and look up it will just feel more daunting. The emerald lake is a great view for lunch but can get crowded or just about 15 minutes later is the blue lake which has plenty of room!

Just perfect, don’t forget your poles!

Awesome walk! Make sure you have enough water, warm clothing and stamina

This trail was a great alternative to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which we weren't able to do due to weather. The trail itself was in good condition and lined with markers along the way, and with the exception of the last push to the upper lake, the elevation gains were moderate and manageable. The trail up to the upper lake was quite loose, so use care when descending. Overall, a very enjoyable hike.

Tiring as f*ck but worth it mate! #Bikog

Challenging but worth it. Every part of the hike is incredible. One of my favourite hikes.