After the long beach ends, what comes next are four consecutive devil-level forests…
Before doing any research, when I heard about the Te Araroa ‘trail’, I imagined a well-maintained walking path, like most hiking trails in Taiwan or the PCT. It wasn’t until later that I discovered New Zealand trails are basically pristine forests—more like following the footprints of previous hikers—you can imagine how strong New Zealand people must be!
Especially the forests in the Far North—it’s as if only TA hikers walk there year-round, with no one maintaining them, narrow trails, incomplete trail markers, incredibly muddy, lacking drinking water sources. There have even been multiple news stories about TA hikers getting lost and needing rescue. It’s completely like a bootcamp and an entrance exam. Americans who’ve done the PCT complain about it endlessly, which had me quite nervous.
‘If I can successfully get through these four forests, I should be able to finish the whole trail…’ That’s what I thought.
But shortly after stepping into the first forest, even with sunny weather for a good stretch before, I was still hit with such a massive muddy section right at the start. I was already sweating buckets…
(Revisiting 2016/12/2)
Beneath the beautiful forest is a muddy trail, but the interesting companions you meet along the way make this stretch of road fun too.
Stomping through the mud in a mud fight, imagining we’re belting out songs in a chocolate factory.
You can only keep walking this path by enjoying it.
(Revisiting 2016/12/3)
https://www.facebook.com/creyanet/posts/1172759416105579:0
https://www.facebook.com/creyanet/posts/1176998425681678:0
📍 Te Araroa Trail | New Zealand 3,000 km Hiking Diary| Return to Full Series Index
