Isthmus Track
Alerts
Check the DOC website for current alerts and conditions before you go. This site gets current alert info from DOC, but is not an official source of information.
This track is dominated by the majestic Mount Tarawera.
Elevation
Cover mapped summer 2023/24.
Description
The track links Lakes Tarawera and Rotomahana.
Getting there
Visitors boating on Lake Tarawera often tie up at Rāpatu Bay and walk to Lake Rotomahana over the Isthmus Track.
Know before you go
When bathing in geothermal water do not immerse your head, due to risk of contracting the fatal disease Amoebic Meningitis. This disease is caused by water containing the amoeba entering through nasal passages.
Nature and conservation
Lake Rotomahana was internationally famous for its spectacular Pink and White Terraces which were destroyed in the Mount Tarawera eruption of 1886. Steaming cliffs and silica terraces still remain as a feature of this lake.
The lake and surrounding margins are a wildlife refuge protecting many species of water fowl. The lake is closed to powerboats in May for the birds' breeding season.
Many rare ferns and orchids are found within the thermal areas.
Weather
Forecast at the start of the track