Mitre
Mitre is the highest summit in the Tararua Forest Park, and this makes it a classic peak bagging destination. Much of the tramp follows the path of the Waingawa River as it makes its way down the slopes of Mitre, and the Mitre Flats hut makes a convenient place to break this 1200 metre ascent.
| List Status | Official |
| Elevation | 1,571 m (5,154 ft) |
| Location/List | North Island, New Zealand |
| Region | Wellington |
| Location Coordinates | 40° 47′ 53″ S, 175° 27′ 28″ E |
| Nearest Town/s | Masterton, Wellington
|
| Range | Tararua Ranges |
| Geology | Sedimentary |
| Recommended Route | |
|---|---|
Duration  |
2 days (return) |
| Distance | 22.6 km (14 mi) |
| Start/End Points | The Pines carpark, Waingawa Rd |
| Difficulty |
Hard |
| Track conditions |
4WD Road, Track, Boardwalks/stairs/wooden briges |
| Season |
Sept to May |
| Sights | Views, Huts , Mitre Flats hut, views of Tararuas and across to Kapiti Island |
| Hazards | Mist, High winds , sheers drops, adverse weather |
Getting There
By Car
From Masterton, take Upper Plain Road, and then turn left onto Upper Waingawa Road. Continue to the roadend carpark.
Google Earth Map
- You can also
view Mitre in Google Earth
NZ Topographic Map
Our Recommended Route
The tramp starts from ‘The Pines’ carpark at the end of Waingawa Road, and the first section follows a 4WD track alongside the Waingawa River. After about 2km, poles mark the start of the Barra Track, which sidles up the side of the Blue Range for about 5km. You then cross a suspension bridge to reach Mitre Flats Hut (14 bunks). There are also camping sites available nearby.
From the hut, the track begins to climb steadily up to the summit of Mitre. Cairns will guide up to the first summit of Peggy’s Peak, and then to the large cairn which marks the summit of Mitre.
Approximate timings are as follows (thanks to North Island Weekend Tramps, Shaun Barnett, Craig Potton Publishing (2002), pages 130-132):
- Carpark to Mitre Flats Hut: 3-4 hours
- Mitre Flats Hut to Mitre summit: 3 hours
- Mitre Summit to Mitre Flats hut descent: 2 hours
- Mitre Flats Hut to Carpark: 3-4 hours
Height Profile
