Mount Egmont, Poukai Range, Kaitake Range and farmland, Egmont National Park
Egmont National Park cover 33,534 hectares. Here the volcano Taranaki (or Mt Egmont as it is also known) rules supreme standing tall above the surrounding landscape. Beside it are two volcanoes of an earlier era: Kaitake and Pouakai.
Rising above the clouds the 2518m high peak of Mt Taranaki offers spectacular scenery to those who make the challenging climb. For those wanting a more relaxing experience there are beautiful walks through verdant forest to waterfalls, wetlands and excellent viewpoints. Standing as it does in isolation from other mountains it is one of the best parks from which to get an elevated view of another New Zealand - the rural heartland.
It was established as a national park in 1900, the second in New Zealand after its not too distant neighbour, Tongariro.
Alert/Important notice
Operation Egmont
As part of a planned possum control project, helicopters dropped 1080 cereal baits over the park in February 2010. Warning signs will remain in place at all major road ends and track starts until such time as possum carcasses are no longer considered toxic. For more information contact the North Egmont Visitor Centre.
Operation Egmont
Location
Egmont National Park can be found on the western coast of New Zealand's North Island. The nearest towns are New Plymouth, Inglewood, Stratford and Opunake.