Pillars of Hercules

Pillars of Hercules offers both a picturesque rock formation and a dual-use trail.
The mountain bike/walking track follows an access road from the viewing bridge to Desert Road,State Hwy 1. 

The trail is a 40-minute ride (DOC posted time) on double track. Starting at the viewing bridge car park the trail climbs gently, with an approximate altitude gain of 200 vertical meters.
For safety, ride the trail and return to the car park the same way to avoid State Hwy 1.
This ride is perfect if based at Urchin or Kaimanawa Rd campsites.

The best viewpoint is from the track to the left of the bridge (which heads to the Urchin campsite). About 10 minutes in, a trail appears to the right of the main path. After approximately 2-minutes walk on a worn but unmarked track, you willl arrive at a clear viewpoint.

Warning; There is no safety railing. Keep back from the edge.

Getting there:

A few minutes south of Turangi on State Highway 1, turn into Kaimanawa road. Follow Kaimanawa Road across the Waikato Falls bridge and turn right at the top of the rise. Follow the gravel road to the car park at the end. Alternatively, a dual-use trail leads from Urchin Campsite for those wishing to camp or explore the nearby Tree Trunk Gorge track.

Smiles/hr Rating: 3.5

Wildlife: 1/2

Scenic: 1

History / Points of interest: 1/2

Quiet / Relaxed: 1

Visit again: 1/2

As seen in our Central North Island adventure episode on Youtube.