Chook's Tracks
This walk starts at the end of the Onetai East Road. The track starts on private property at (Park car).
Starting in the valley floor on an old timber tramline on the true right hand side of the stream, it winds it's way upstream with many crossings, passing an old hauler engine on the way before reaching the site of a volcanic cave (Cave) across the stream on the right.
A few hundred metres further on is a four drop waterfall of over 30 metres. From here one backtracks to make a half circle to the right for an easier route to the top of the falls (Top of falls).
After walking in and out of the stream one comes to the junction of two streams and it is necessary to climb the centre volcanic ridge between the two streams before dropping down to the right to a large Kauri stump and log (Kauri stump and log) and continuing onto the Maori Canoe (Maori canoe). These canoes were probably made to mark tribal boundaries.
Follow upstream past the canoe and climb a steep ridge to the right to join the main ridge at (Junction for loop) turning left and slowly climbing to pass through a nice Kauri grove (A track goes north here (ignore)) and onto the junction with the Mangaroa Pack Track.
After an easy walk up part of this track with views of the Marototo Valley and Te Hue Valley, one really starts to climb passing a large Kauri tree on the way to the main divide junction at (Turn right to "Rat's Tooth").
Heading north to the left and slightly climbing and falling brings you to the Rats Tooth with a stiff climb to the summit where excellent views are obtained.
On a good day the entrance to the Auckland Harbour can be seen and from the north eastern side of the knob, views of the sea at Tairua.
BackTracking to (Turn right to Maori canoes and Onetai Valley) and leaving the Mangaroa Pack Track by turning right and passing down past (Junction for loop) and ahead to the second poor remains of a canoe at (Maori canoe (poor condition)).
The track follows along the tops before dropping off the ridge to the left to pass through a magnificent area of young Kauri and Tanekaha trees to the bottom of the valley and stream to follow an old road out onto the farm and across the main stream to the carpark.