Coromandel Pinnacles Walk (My Complete Guide)

The Coromandel Pinnacles is one of the best-known walks near Thames, following an old kauri-bushmen packhorse route through the Kauaeranga Valley before climbing to a rocky 759m lookout.

Allow 6-7.5 hours for the standard Webb Creek return, including the summit side trip. I usually recommend doing it as a day walk in good weather, unless you have a group of friends and fancy a night at the hut.

Why I Recommend Hiking The Pinnacles

The walk is popular, close enough to Auckland for a weekend, and still feels like a decent mission once the old rock steps begin. The summit is the obvious payoff, but the kauri-logging history, hut and swimming holes make the whole Kauaeranga Valley worth the drive.

For me, there’s nothing better than sitting perched on top of a mountain as the sun comes up. On a crytal clear day, there’s no better place to do this than the pinnacles.

My Experiences:

I’ve done this hike 3 times. Once in terrible conditions (would not recommend), once as a day hike starting the trail at 4 am to summit for sunrise, and finally once taking the slow route and spending a night at the hut.

If you’re in a big group with friends, staying at the hut can be a lot of fun. Otherwise, pick a day with good weather and boost up and back in a day. There are plenty of other things to see and do in the Kauaeranga Valley if you have a little bit of time left over.

Day Hike or Overnight?

The track is the same either way. The only real decision is whether you walk it in a day or book the hut and turn it into an overnight trip.

The Day Hike

A day walk is my pick for most people. Start early, take Webb Creek both ways, and you can be back at the car with enough time for a swim before heading home.

Overnight at Pinnacles Hut

The overnight version is less about needing two days and more about the hut atmosphere and getting onto the summit around sunrise. The hut sleeps 80, so this is not a tiny backcountry hideaway.

Getting There and Parking

The track starts at the Kauaeranga Road end, about 22 km from Thames. Follow Kauaeranga Valley Road for 13 km to the visitor centre, then continue another 9 km on the unsealed road to the car park. It is suitable for normal cars in decent conditions, but check the weather before heading in because the road can flood during heavy rain.

Driving is easily the simplest option. If you are flying into Auckland and making this part of a wider Coromandel trip, you can compare rental cars here. Otherwise, arrange a Thames shuttle or taxi before you arrive; this is not somewhere I would rely on finding a casual ride at dawn.

Do not leave valuables in the car. DOC specifically warns that the isolated road-end car parks are prone to theft, and bag storage is available at the Kauaeranga Visitor Centre.

Walking the Coromandel Pinnacles

Right, Let’s get into it.

There are two sensible route choices. Most people go up and back on Webb Creek. The longer circuit returns from Hydro Camp on the Billygoat Track, but that route finishes with an unbridged crossing of the Kauaeranga River.

Webb Creek Track to Hydro Camp

From the road end, cross the swing bridge and follow Webb Creek toward Hydro Camp. The track climbs through native bush on old steps cut into the rock for packhorses, which is the bit that gives this walk most of its character – and quite a lot of its climbing.

Allow roughly 1.5-2 hours to Hydro Camp. The rocks get extremely slippery when wet, so shoes with decent grip matter more than any heroic level of fitness.

The Billygoat Track Return

For a longer circuit, return from Hydro Camp on the Billygoat Track. It passes the eight-site Billygoat Basin campsite and old logging remains before dropping to Kauaeranga Valley Road.

The catch is the river crossing at the end. There is no flood detour, so after heavy rain I would keep life simple and return on Webb Creek.

Hydro Camp to Pinnacles Hut

From Hydro Camp, the track keeps climbing and then sidles around the hill onto a more open ridge. The hut and Dancing Camp campsite sit down short, signposted side tracks. DOC allows 2.5-3 hours from the road end to the hut in total.

Pinnacles Hut to the Summit

The final kilometre from the hut takes about 40 minutes each way. It starts gently, then becomes a steep stepped climb with ladders and exposed drops near the top. This section is noticeably more serious in wind or rain, and most track injuries happen while descending from the lookout.

The fenced platform gives you the proper view across the Coromandel. Stay inside it. The rock beyond the fence is fractured and unstable, so the old idea of scrambling higher for a slightly wider photo is not worth it.

Heads up: Skip the summit side trip in high wind or heavy rain. The platform will still be there next time.

The Pinnacles Hut

Pinnacles Hut is a large 80-bunk serviced hut, not a quiet little six-bed hut in the bush. It has gas cookers, solar lighting, a solid-fuel burner, cold showers and a warden, and it received insulation, double glazing and other refurbishment work in 2025.

You need to book online before walking in; DOC keeps no bunks aside for people arriving without a booking. The water is untreated and the supply can run dry, so carry enough to get yourself through the day rather than assuming the hut tank will save you.

What to Pack

You do not need an expedition packing list for the Pinnacles. Bring the normal day-hike basics, plus a little respect for how wet the Coromandel can get.

• Around 3 litres of water per person – DOC warns the hut supply can run dry
• Shoes with proper grip; the old rock steps become slick after rain
• A waterproof jacket and one warm layer, even when Thames looks sunny
• Lunch and enough snacks to cover a 6-7.5 hour day
• A headtorch if you are attempting sunrise
• For the hut: sleeping bag, cooking/eating utensils and your booking confirmation

Walking poles are useful after rain, but I would not buy a full new tramping wardrobe just for this track.

Stop at Hoffmans Pool on the Way Out

What I did not learn until recently is that there is an excellent swimming hole only a few minutes’ drive past the visitor centre. Hoffmans Pool even shows up on Google Maps, so it is hardly a secret, but after five or six hours on your feet it feels VERY well placed.

I would absolutely stop here for a rinse on a warm day. There is a jumping rock across the river, but check the depth and current for yourself before doing anything ambitious – especially after rain.

Before You Go

Check the DOC track page and the forecast before driving up the valley. Heavy rain can flood both the access road and the track, and the Billygoat circuit has an unbridged river crossing at the end.

Otherwise, do not overthink it. This is a busy, well-marked walk: choose a decent weather window, book the hut if you are staying, and leave enough daylight for the descent.

A Few Thames Recommendations

Thames is more than the place you turn off SH25. Cafe Melbourne and the Awildian tasting room are both in The Depot complex, so you can get a very good coffee and visit one of the Coromandel’s best little producers without driving all over town.

Make a Day of It

The track itself does not need much more selling. Grab breakfast or coffee at Cafe Melbourne, head up the valley, walk those weird packhorse steps and stop at Hoffmans Pool on the way back. Awildian is then well worth a visit when its short cellar-door hours fit your plans – and when someone else is driving, obviously.

That is a very decent use of a Saturday.