The Saddle Lakes are mysterious and charming in equal measure. Photo: Sam Harrison

The Wangapeka’s wild side

Off the Beaten Track

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Sam Harrison

Sam Harrison is a chocolate addict who tramps on the side and can’t resist a bit of type II fun.

By Sam Harrison

Seeking an alternative to the Heaphy? Try this east to west traverse of Kahurangi National Park that includes the Lookout Range and the once-famous Wangapeka Track.

Most trampers have heard of the Heaphy Track, the Great Walk linking Golden Bay to the West Coast. Its counterpart, the four-to-six day Wangapeka Track, isn’t as popular. It was forged after gold was discovered in the Wangapeka River in 1859. Completed in 1899, the pack track traverses the southern edge of Kahurangi National Park, […]

About the author

Sam Harrison

Sam Harrison is a chocolate addict who tramps on the side. When he’s not in the bush he can be found pushing paper for a government department in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Sam graduated from the University of Otago in 2021 with a Bachelor of Law, a Bachelor of Arts, a large student loan and a love of all things tramping. He is easily identified in the hills by his oversized camera and his distinctive knack for finding type II fun.