As you head towards Karekare beach, the quickest access to the Karekare car park and the next stage of Hillary Trail Te Ara Tūhura is along the Pōhutukawa Walk. To find the entrance, follow the cliff line around Karekare Point, and you will see it as you approach the dunes. The first section of the walk is through the dunes, then an open grassed area before you enter a copse of quite mature pōhutukawa. It is a nice spot for a picnic, especially in December when the trees flower, if you want some shade away from the black sand beach.
The walk ends at the Karekare road, with the car park on the other side of Karekare Stream. Follow the road a short distance to the only side road, cross the bridge and walk to the road end. Coman’s Track, the next stage of Te Ara Tūhura, starts there. There is also a small campsite at Karekare – continue along the road until you see it on the left.
