Nutshell 

• Location: Otanewainuku Forest, Bay of Plenty
• Access:  There is a small car park, shelter and toilet located on Mountain Road. Mountain road can be accessed from Oropi road, Tauranga, or No.2 road, Te Puke.
• DOC Duration: 1.5 hour loop    Forest Family:  2 Adults and 2 Children (5 and 7), it took us 50 minutes to reach the viewing platform, and another 50 minutes to come down, we also took a 30 minute lunch break at top.
• Track Grade: Easy
• Highlights/Features: Stunning 360 degree view, huge Kahikatea trees, lots of bird life and just really beautiful bush.
• Notes: When you start this track you can either take a clockwise or anticlockwise route, the clockwise direction (the way we went), is a more gradual uphill and coming down the “anticlockwise” track was steeper (big steps for little legs). Also this is a Kiwi Zone, so no dogs or mountain biking is allowed.
• Read the blog to learn about our experience on the track.