Putangirua Pinnacles

Putangirua Pinnacles
Date: February 2020
Category: Day Walk
Weather: Fine
Location: Wairarapa
Distance: 2-4 hr round trip according to DOC, distance from my watch 5.58km
Website: doc.govt.nz

The Putangirua Pinnacles are an easy day trip from Wellington. You should stop by The Land Girl on your way and get a custard cronut or brownie base caramel slice. Or stop at one of the cafes in Featherston. We stopped on our way back after doing the walk. Its a good way to break up the drive prior to heading over the hill back in  Upper Hutt.

The directions according to Google Maps will have you trying to park at the wrong place. Look for the Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve which is just past Te Kopi Homestead. There is ample parking and a couple restrooms in the scenic reserve.

The initial walk is up the river bed. A short way up you'll have the option of taking the Ridge Track, which has a lookout, or the Stream Bed. We took the Stream Bed up and returned via the Ridge Track. Going up the Stream track there are loose rocks and ample orange triangles. Nothing challenging here. Make sure you look around as the landscape is rather stunning.

Returning we opted to see the lookout and return via the Ridge Track. Our previous attempt we tried to walk out this way in the pouring rain. The track can get really slick in bad weather so be warned. The lookout track climbs rather steeply from the river bed, but the view is worth it. You don't realize how many pinnacles are.