Maude Track to Mangakotukutuku Falls
Alerts
Avalanche NZ
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NIWA weather risks
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Forecast point: Pouakai Hut (1188m) · 3.3km away
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.
Maude Track leads from the end of Maude Road to the pretty Mangakotukutuku Falls.
Elevation
Cover mapped summer 2023/24.
Description
Maude Track begins at the end of Maude Road. From the road end the track crosses farmland to the boundary of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. From here it climbs a ridge on the Pouākai Range through stands of regenerating and ancient forest, before turning left and dropping into the Mangakotukutuku stream valley. You’ll then arrive at the Mangakotukutuku Falls.
Getting there
The track begins at the end of Maude Road, around twenty minutes’ drive from New Plymouth.
Drive south from New Plymouth on State Highway 3 (signs towards Inglewood and Whanganui). Turn right onto Kent Road, then turn right onto Maude Road and follow it to the end. Car parking at the end of the road is limited.
Know before you go
Respect private farmland
This track passes through private farmland. Please leave gates as you find them and stay on the route.
Be ready for rain and cold
Taranaki is famous for its fast-changing and extreme weather. Check the forecast before you go and be prepared for rain and cold, even in summer.
Be ready for any weather by packing a waterproof jacket and plenty of warm layers. Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes (tramping boots are recommended).
The track is not well maintained and can be rough and slippery in places.
History and culture
The majestic andesitic volcano Taranaki Maunga (2518 m) is the central point of the 34,170 ha Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. Approximately 125,000 years old, it is the park’s most recent volcanic peak. Last erupting around 1755 AD the mountain is now considered dormant.
Local Māori believe Taranaki Maunga once stood with the mountains of the central North Island. After a dispute over the maiden Pihanga, Taranaki fled his ancestral home, carving out the bed of the Whanganui River on his journey to the coast.
Egmont National Park became New Zealand’s second national park (after Tongariro) in 1900. Named Mt Egmont by Captain Cook, the traditional Māori name of Mount Taranaki has been more widely used. In 2025 the park was renamed Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki and the mountain Taranaki Maunga.
Weather
Forecast at the start of the track