Last updated November 2026
The Lawrence Road tramping tracks are a group of routes from the Lawrence Road end in the south of Kaweka Forest Park, about 43 km from Napier, with options for day trips and overnight trips.
DOC grades them as advanced tramping tracks, and the main day options take 2–3 hours, including a loop via the Lotkow Track, a rocky lookout and the Donald River.
Heading for Lotkow Road now means wading a river, because DOC says the swingbridge “has been removed”. The access road may also be hit by ongoing slips since Cyclone Gabrielle, and the road end has changed, leaving less parking. Check DOC before you go, use Plan My Walk and tell someone your plans.
Track Facts
Tracks can close at short notice for slips, storm damage or maintenance. Check DOC's current alerts for Lawrence Road tramping tracks on the day you walk.
Current alerts on DOC
Practical Information
- Start
- Lawrence Road end, off the Napier-Taihape Road
- Distance from the city
- About 70 km from Napier (DOC); about 43 km in a straight line
- Walking time
- Lawrence Road to Lotkow Road: 2–3 hr. Loop via Lotkow Track, Lookout and Donald River: 2–3 hr
- Track length
- About 5.3 km of track (calculated from the DOC track line)
- Grade
- Advanced (DOC: advanced tramping track)
- Dogs
- Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only
- Track type
- Tramping track, with an unmarked river section
- Managed by
- Department of Conservation
- Status
- Open when checked on 18 October 2026. Check DOC before you go.
- Track markers
- On marked bush tracks, DOC and most councils use orange triangles for the walking route. Triangles or tape in other colours, usually pink or blue, mark pest-control lines and traps. They can lead off the track, so don’t follow them.
About Lawrence Road tramping tracks
Lawrence Road is a hub rather than a single track. From the road end you can choose a short day walk, a round trip, or a longer route that links with other road ends and access points in the park.
The country here sits between about 800 and 1200 metres, and DOC describes it as exposed apart from the steep river gorges. Two major rivers, the Tutaekuri and the Ngaruroro, emerge from the ranges along the Napier-Taihape Road.
Lawrence Road to Lotkow Road
After crossing the river, the track sidles steeply at first, then climbs gently through kanuka forest. About 45 minutes in, the Mackintosh Track turns off to the left.
Five minutes along it is an open, rocky knoll that DOC rates as an excellent vantage point, looking across the Mackintosh Plateau and up the Donald River to the peaks of the main Kaweka Range. The full trip through to the Lotkow Road end takes 2–3 hours.
The loop via Lotkow Track, Lookout and Donald River
For a round trip back to the Lawrence Shelter, follow the Mackintosh Track off the ridge. It drops steeply for 10 minutes, then descends steadily for 20 minutes to the Donald River.
From there you follow the Donald downstream for about an hour to where it meets the Tutaekuri River, about 5 minutes upriver from where the Lawrence swingbridge used to be. The river section is unmarked, but DOC says travel along the manuka terraces is not difficult. Allow 2–3 hours.
Blowhard Bush
On the corner of Lawrence Road and the Napier-Taihape Road is Blowhard Bush Reserve. It is owned by Forest & Bird, not DOC, and has four walking tracks of its own; Forest & Bird has the details.
The River Crossing
With the swingbridge gone, a river crossing is now required between the Lawrence Road end and Lotkow Road. DOC’s advice is to check weather forecasts and, if in doubt, not to attempt the crossing.
Be prepared to turn back, or to wait until the river drops to a level you can cross. DOC also notes that the river crossings on Lotkow Road are regularly changing, so check before crossing.
Getting There and Access
DOC puts Lawrence Road about 70 km from Napier, off the Napier-Taihape Road, which cuts through the southern section of the park. A forestry gate has been installed on Lawrence Road so it can be closed when road conditions are poor; DOC says that if the road is closed, an alert will appear on the track page.
The last 600 m of the access road to the Lawrence car park is steep and not recommended for 2WD vehicles, and there is a parking space before the descent. DOC recommends 4WD vehicles on the park’s access roads.
Elsewhere in the park, when we checked on 18 October 2026, DOC’s access conditions said Mackintosh car park was closed for forestry operations and Castle Rock Road was closed, which matters if you plan a through trip ending at another road end.
Before You Go
These are backcountry routes. Choose a trip that matches your skills, check the forecast, pack warm clothes and extra food, and leave your intentions with a trusted contact along with a distress beacon. Plan My Walk can help you set this up.
Where to Learn More
Department of Conservation: Lawrence Road tramping tracks: track information, alerts and status. Track information: Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Department of Conservation: Kaweka Forest Park: park-wide access conditions, road closures and other tracks.
Plan My Walk: plan your trip, check the forecast and share your intentions before you set out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are the Lawrence Road walks?
DOC gives 2–3 hours for Lawrence Road to Lotkow Road, and 2–3 hours for the loop via the Lotkow Track, Lookout and Donald River.
Is there still a swingbridge at Lawrence Road?
No. DOC says the Lawrence swingbridge has been removed, so a river crossing is required to reach Lotkow Road.
What if the river is high?
Don’t cross. DOC advises checking forecasts and, if in doubt, turning back or waiting until the river level is suitable.
Can I drive to the road end in a 2WD?
DOC says the last 600 m is steep and not recommended for 2WD vehicles, with a parking space available before the descent.
Is the road open?
When we checked on 18 October 2026, DOC had no alert for these tracks or the road. A forestry gate allows Lawrence Road to be closed when conditions are poor. DOC says any closure will show as an alert on the track page.
Are dogs allowed?
Only with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes.
Where is the best view?
The rocky knoll 5 minutes along the Mackintosh Track, about 50 minutes from the river crossing, looks across the Mackintosh Plateau to the main Kaweka Range.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- Track Facts: Track facts and line: Crown Copyright, Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai 2026, CC BY 4.0. Elevation: LINZ (LiDAR), CC BY 4.0.