Ohakune: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Ohakune grew up twice: once as a railway camp when the North Island Main Trunk line was pushed through the forest in the 1900s, and again as a farming town when Chinese market gardeners cleared the land and found it perfect for carrots. The railway end of town is still called the Junction. This route mixes a town stop, a cycle trail on the old coach road and two great viaducts. Ride or walk the Old Coach Road one way, about 3-4 hours, or see the viaducts by car.
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A short history of Ohakune
Ohakune grew up at the start of the 20th century, when the North Island Main Trunk railway was built along the foot of the volcano Ruapehu and timber workers cleared the surrounding forest. Vegetables were grown on the cleared land, and carrots did especially well, so much so that in 1984 a giant carrot sculpture was put up at the entrance to the town. In 1978 the Tūroa ski field opened on the slopes of Ruapehu, and since then the small town has filled up in winter.
The ten best sights in Ohakune
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1The Big Carrot
A giant fibreglass carrot at the town entrance; the obvious photo
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2Old Coach Road
A cycle and walking trail on a 1900s road, with old railway viaducts
3Hapuawhenua ViaductA curved steel railway viaduct from 1908, now open to walkers and cyclists
4Mangawhero FallsA waterfall a few steps from the mountain road
5Waitonga FallsThe tallest falls in the national park, an hour's walk return
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6Tūroa Ski Area
Skiing on Ruapehu in winter, a 17-km drive up the mountain road
7Mount RuapehuThe highest mountain in the North Island, an active volcano
8Smash PalaceA huge car wreckers' yard at Horopito that starred in a film
9Lake RotokuraA short forest walk to a quiet, sacred lake
10National Army MuseumNew Zealand's army history at Waiouru, 25 minutes east
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Ohakune →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Ohakune:
Free walking tours in Ohakune
Carrots and the Main Trunk
Ohakune grew up twice: once as a railway camp when the North Island Main Trunk line was pushed through the forest in the 1900s, and again as a farming town when Chinese market gardeners cleared the land and found it perfect for carrots. The railway end of town is still called the Junction. This route mixes a town stop, a cycle trail on the old coach road and two great viaducts. Ride or walk the Old Coach Road one way, about 3-4 hours, or see the viaducts by car.
- The Big Carrot · The carrot, about 7.5 metres tall, was made in 1984 as a prop for a bank's television ad and then given to the town. The farms around Ohakune grow a large share of New Zealand's carrots, and the town celebrates with a Carrot Carnival every year.
- Ohakune Station · The Main Trunk line between Auckland and Wellington was finished in 1908, and Ohakune grew around the station as the railway's supply town. The long-distance Northern Explorer still stops here, a few times a week each way.
- Old Coach Road · The road was built in the 1900s to carry passengers by coach across the gap between the two unfinished ends of the railway. When the line was completed it was abandoned, and parts of its hand-laid cobbles were rediscovered under the bush and restored as a trail.
- Hapuawhenua Viaduct · The curved steel viaduct was built in 1908 and carried trains until 1987, when a new concrete viaduct was opened beside it. Today you can walk or cycle across the old one, high above the forest.
- Smash Palace · This car wreckers' yard at Horopito, packed with thousands of old cars, gave its name and setting to Roger Donaldson's 1981 film 'Smash Palace'. Collectors still come here hunting for parts of vintage cars.
- Makatote Viaduct · At about 79 metres high, the Makatote viaduct was one of the last big structures on the Main Trunk when it was finished in 1908. A lookout beside State Highway 4 shows its full height.
The south side of Ruapehu
Ruapehu rises straight behind Ohakune, and a single road climbs from the town through forest to the snow line. This route follows that road to two waterfalls and the ski area, then swings east to a sacred lake and to the place where the volcano caused the worst rail disaster in the country. Half a day by car; the upper mountain road can need chains in winter, and the weather on the mountain changes fast.
- Ohakune Mountain Road · The road climbs about 17 km from Ohakune to Tūroa, through rimu and beech forest and then out onto the bare volcanic slopes. Its lower half is also a popular downhill ride for cyclists.
- Waitonga Falls · At 39 metres, Waitonga is the tallest waterfall in Tongariro National Park. The track crosses a boardwalk over an alpine bog, and on a clear day the summit of Ruapehu is reflected in the pools.
- Mangawhero Falls · The Mangawhero River drops over an old lava flow just below the road, and a short path leads to the viewpoint. The same river runs down past Ohakune, where a riverside walk follows it through town.
- Tūroa Ski Area · Tūroa opened in 1978 on the south-western slopes of Ruapehu. Together with Whakapapa on the other side of the mountain it forms the largest ski area in New Zealand, and in summer the chairlift area is a start point for walks onto the volcano.
- Lake Rotokura · Rotokura is tapu, sacred, to the local iwi Ngāti Rangi. A 15-minute forest walk leads to it, and visitors are asked not to eat by the lake or swim in it.
- Tangiwai Memorial · On Christmas Eve 1953 a lahar from Ruapehu's crater lake swept away the railway bridge over the Whangaehu River minutes before the Wellington-Auckland express reached it. 151 people died. The memorial stands near the site.
Into Tongariro National Park
In 1887 the Ngāti Tūwharetoa chief Te Heuheu Tūkino IV gave the sacred peaks of Tongariro to the nation, and they became New Zealand's first national park. Today it is a World Heritage site for both its volcanoes and its Māori meaning. This route drives round to Whakapapa on the north side of Ruapehu for short walks among waterfalls and lava, and ends at the start of the Alpine Crossing. About 40 minutes to Whakapapa; check volcano and weather alerts at the visitor centre first.
- Tawhai Falls · A five-minute walk from the road leads to a pool below a lava ledge. The falls stood in for a scene in 'The Lord of the Rings', and locals still call the spot Gollum's Pool.
- Chateau Tongariro · The grand hotel opened in 1929, built to bring wealthy tourists to the mountains when it was still a long trip from anywhere. During the Second World War it was used as a psychiatric hospital, and today you can still take afternoon tea in its lounge.
- Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre · The centre explains the park's volcanoes and the story of the 1887 gift by Te Heuheu Tūkino IV. It also posts the current volcanic alert level, which can close tracks near the craters at short notice.
- Silica Rapids · The stream here runs over terraces of pale, cream-coloured deposits left by minerals in the water, a sharp contrast with the dark lava around them. The loop from Whakapapa takes about two and a half hours.
- Taranaki Falls · The falls drop about 20 metres over the edge of a lava flow that came from Ruapehu thousands of years ago. The loop track from the village climbs through tussock and returns through beech forest.
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing · The crossing runs about 19 km between Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe, the perfect cone that stood in for Mount Doom in the films. It passes the steaming Red Crater and the bright Emerald Lakes; parking is limited, so most people use a shuttle.
Getting to Ohakune and getting around
- Ohakune Station · The Northern Explorer between Auckland and Wellington stops here, at the Junction end of town
- Clyde Street Bus Stop · Long-distance buses stop on the main street by the i-SITE
Cheap eats in Ohakune
Ohakune is a small mountain town, and its food is simple: cafés for breakfast, fish and chips and burgers for lunch, and a few pubs and restaurants that fill up in ski season. Carrots are the local pride, and in season cafés sometimes turn them into carrot cake. Prices are in New Zealand dollars; carry snacks and water for the mountain, where there is almost nothing to buy.
- Utopia Cafe · Coffee and a big breakfast on Clyde Street, about $6-25
- Honeycomb · Café for coffee and a cabinet snack, about $5-15
- Captain Kune's Fish'n'Chips · Fish and chips to take away, about $10-18
- Big Mountain Burger · Burgers after a day on the mountain, about $15-22
- Phat Pad · Thai takeaway, about $15-22
- Shelter Cafe and Bar · Coffee by day, a drink after skiing, about $5-25
Museums in Ohakune
- National Army Museum · Uniforms, vehicles and stories of New Zealand soldiers, at Waiouru
- Tangiwai Memorial · A quiet stop beside the river where the 1953 disaster happened
- Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre · Volcanoes, Māori history of the peaks, and current alerts
- Chateau Tongariro · A 1929 grand hotel; look in for tea and the view
Nature and day trips near Ohakune
- Waitonga Falls · The park's tallest falls, over an alpine bog
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing · A full-day volcanic walk past craters and coloured lakes
- Old Coach Road · Rimu forest and viaducts on a gentle trail
- Lake Rotokura · A sacred lake in beech forest; please don't eat by the water
- Taranaki Falls · A loop walk from Whakapapa to a lava-edge waterfall
- Raurimu Spiral · A railway that loops over itself to climb the plateau
Things to do in Ohakune with kids
- The Big Carrot · A giant carrot photo stop with a playground beside it
- Hapuawhenua Viaduct · Walk across an old railway bridge high above the trees
- Tawhai Falls · Five minutes to 'Gollum's Pool' from the films
- Smash Palace · Rows of old cars to stare at through the fence
- Tūroa Ski Area · Learner slopes and snow play in winter
Where to eat in Ohakune
- The Powderkeg · Pub food at the Junction end of town
- Kings · Bar and restaurant by the station
- The Cyprus Tree · Restaurant on the main road in town
- Osteria · Italian dinner on Clyde Street
- Ohakune Tavern · A classic country pub
- No 8 · Dinner on the main street
Frequently asked questions about Ohakune
What is there to see in Ohakune?
The top sights in Ohakune are The Big Carrot, Old Coach Road and Hapuawhenua Viaduct. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Ohakune?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Ohakune without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Ohakune?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Ohakune, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Carrots and the Main Trunk.
How do you get to Ohakune and get around?
The main ways are Ohakune Station and Clyde Street Bus Stop. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Ohakune, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Ohakune that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Ohakune for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.