Silica Rapid is a short walk, readily accessible to frontcountry trampers. The supernatural shades of these rapids result from volcanic minerals that abound in Tongariro National Park, Aotearoa’s oldest national park with World Heritage status.

We started at Bruce Road with its uphill undulations, knocking off a wintry, exposed section through tussock for the first half hour. It was cold and wet. I was glad to be waterproofed all over.

Silica Rapids is extremely colourful. Turmeric-coloured rocks shine under a clear mountain stream. Their unusual colour is due to the volcanic minerals of Tongariro National Park.

Apparently, a spring just uphill of Silica Rapids helps feed the stream. It’d be worth a look in more convivial conditions.

Sightly downstream of the rapids is a second feature—this time it’s saffron-coloured rocks, with bright red rust scraped bare by glaciation of eons past. It’s a beautiful and enchanting characteristic of watercourses in Tongariro National Park.

From Silica Rapids it’s 5-10 minutes to the bush, from where it’s much more sheltered.

The bushwalk leading back to Whakapapa Village is pretty, and easy. The track is well graded and there are plenty of interpretation boards along the way that provide insight into Tongariro National Park’s unique ecology. The aptly-named Golden Rapids are particularly delightful, again discoloured by mountain minerals. The boardwalk across an alpine bog also adds interest.

The walk is 5km total with end points at Whakapapa Village and Bruce Road. Either direction is feasible and, given the ‘ROI’ factor (‘return on interest’), I was surprised never to have come this way before.

Need to know

Access: Park the car on Bruce Road or at Whakapapa Village—but you’ll need to arrange transport back in either direction, or retrace your steps.

Grade: Easy.

Distance and ascent: 5km from Bruce Road to Whakapapa, with 123m ascent.

Time: 1.5-2 hours  

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