Lake Waikareiti Track, Te Urewera

This track has always been a favourite and I have been here many times. To walk to the lake and back it is 3.3 km and takes around an hour each way. The road around Lake Waikaremoana is at an altitude of roughly 600 meters (2,000 feet), and Lake Waikareiti sits at 880 meters (2,888 feet). The day I took these photos we wandered along past the day shelter by the lake to stop and have lunch in one of the little bays next to the track. 

"This well-graded track rises 300 m in altitude to the day shelter at Lake Waikareiti. The forest is predominantly red and silver beech with mighty rimu trees emerging above the canopy.

Beyond the day shelter a tramping track runs to Sandy Bay Hut at the northern end of the lake (a further 3 hours from the day shelter). The hut (bookings required) lies idyllically on the shores of a shallow bay which features brilliant white sand.

The Ruapani Circuit Track can be accessed from this track about half an hour beyond the Waikareiti day shelter".

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/east-coast/places/te-urewera/things-to-do/tracks/lake-waikareiti-walk/

photo credits to Sharon D, thanks for allowing me to share some of your pics.

Car park and start of track