Nutshell 

• Location: Hakarimata Scenic Reserve, Ngaruawahia, Waikato
• Access: Carpark on Brownlee Ave, Ngaruawahia
• DOC Duration: 3 hours return    Forest Family: 2 – 3.5 hours return, when doing this walk with babies in a pack or older children – 2 hours, when my kids were under 5, we would return 3.5 hours later.
• Track Grade: Easy, though 1349 steps!
• Highlights/Features: Along the walk you can admire the trickling Mangarata stream, small waterfalls and the remnants of the historic water pipes that use to deliver the town’s water supply. This track starts off by following the waterworks walk, it then branches off to the right before the dam and the fun begins …. 1349 steps! The stairs just keep going, looking up reveals more and more, kids set a really good pace. At the top, 374m above sea level, a viewing platform provides stunning panoramic views over the Waikato.
• Notes: I grew up using this track all the time, though it wasn’t always stairs, since the track was upgraded it has become very busy, with many people walking and running the track multiple times a day, so note that you will have to be patient at times and share the track. Toilets are situated at the car park.