Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Tongariro National Park New Zealand North Island (Part 1)

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Tongariro National Park is a tramping track in New Zealand, and is among the most popular day hikes in the country. The Tongariro National Park is a World Heritage site which has the distinction of dual status, as it has been acknowledged for both its natural and cultural significance.

The crossing passes over the volcanic terrain of the multi-cratered active volcano Mount Tongariro, passing the eastern base of Mount Ngauruhoe which can optionally be climbed as a side trip.

The full distance of the track is usually 19.4-kilometer (12.1 mi).

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is most commonly walked from Mangatepopo to Ketetahi Hot Springs, due to the Mangatepopo end being higher in altitude (1,120 m or 3,670 ft) than the Ketetahi Hot Springs end (760 m or 2,490 ft), therefore requiring less climbing.The crossing takes about seven hours of steady walking to complete in good weather, taking longer in winter or if walked from the Ketetahi end.

The crossing is a linear journey, starting on the west side of Mount Tongariro and finishing on the north side. As a result, returning to the western end requires either retracing the entire 19.4 km crossing, or walking 26 km via State Highways 46 and 47 back to the other trail head.

The track begins at the western end near the Mangatepopo Hut with a low gradient until the foot of the steep Tongariro saddle. After the climb to the saddle, the path takes descents and ascents into and back out of two different craters, passing the Emerald Lakes and along the edge of the Blue Lake. The last two hours of the walk involve a long descent down the northern flank of the volcano, passing the Ketetahi Hot Springs.

Mount Ngauruhoe can be climbed as a side trip from the main crossing. In summer the flanks of Mt Ngauruhoe are mostly exposed, loose tephra, lapilli and ash which is very difficult to walk on and requires a considerable energy expenditure compared to walking on solid material. For this reason it is less effort to climb in winter when the snow consolidates the tephra.

Most of the walk is through raw volcanic terrain. The three volcanoes in the area are all highly active and the terrain reflects this. Solidified lava flows, loose tephra, and solidified volcanic lava bombs abound. Large amounts of minerals are brought to the surface and are highly visible in the colours of rocks and ridges. Active fumaroles abound on several sections of the walk, constantly emitting steam and sulphur dioxide gas into the air and depositing yellow sulphur specks around their edges. The lakes and pools on the walk are deeply coloured by the volcanic minerals dissolved in them. Some areas feature large springs emitting near-boiling water and torrents of steam. The terrain underfoot for most of the walk is either sharp edged new volcanic rock or loose and shifting tephra, mainly ash and lapilli. In some crater areas it is finer ash that has become moist and compacted.