Reflecting a giant
You can get a short taster of the Round-The-Mountain Track with a day or overnight trip to Lake Surprise.
The walk begins off the Ohakune Mountain Road and climbs over several outlying mountain flanks to a high point beside Mangaturuturu River.
The trail then descends steeply beside this beautiful cascade to reach Mangaturuturu Hut.
Beyond the hut, the track crosses the river – a boulder-strewn obstacle course and the route of a 1975 lahar that scoured out much of the vegetation in the valley – and then climbs to a boardwalked section that leads to Lake Surprise, nestled amongst tussock and beech.
Sink into the tussock beside the lake and gaze up at Mt Ruapehu – the views of the peak from here are sublime. On a calm day, the mountain will be reflected in the lake’s waters.
- Distance
- 4.5km
- Total Ascent
- 205m
- Grade
- Easy
- Time
- 4-5hr return
- Accom.
- Mangaturuturu Hut ($15,10 bunks)
- Access
- Ohakune Mountain Road
- Map
- BJ34
GPX File
- Lake Surprise (gpx, )
GPX File
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