Tongariro field notes
Tongariro & Mangatepōpō

Mangatepōpō Valley & Soda Springs

Easy Half day Filming location

The gentle first stage of the Crossing: up a lava valley beneath Ngāuruhoe to a cold spring and its wildflowers.

6.0 kmreturn
2 hr returnwalking time
↑ 390 mclimb
1,413 mhigh point
DOC page ↗
Mangatepōpō Valley & Soda Springs Mangatepōpō Valley & Soda Springs © Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0
Soda Springs at Tongariro Alpine Crossing © Du Hugin Skulblaka · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tongariro Crossing Mangatepopo To Soda Springs (67389751) © Porcinno Rondus · CC BY 3.0

Elevation profile

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DOC distance 6 km; the mapped line measures 9.3 km.

What you’ll see

  1. 1
    Sun Set on Mangatepopo Valley (52332388384)
    Lava landscape· 1,200 m Mangatepōpō Valley
  2. 2
    Soda Springs at Tongariro Alpine Crossing
    Springs· 1,400 m Soda Springs
  3. 3
    Mount Ngauruhoe 01
    Summit· 2,291 m Mount Ngāuruhoe
Lava flowsGlacial valleyAlpine wildflowersNgāuruhoe close-up

The walk

Boardwalks and gravel follow the Mangatepōpō Stream between lava flows from Ngāuruhoe’s 1949 and 1954 eruptions. At the head of the valley a side path reaches Soda Springs. Return the same way, or continue up the Devil’s Staircase to the South Crater rim for a bigger day.

Start. Mangatepōpō Road end

Snow & season

Winter snow

Snow often reaches the valley head in winter; the valley floor is usually walkable.

Best season: All year

Live forecast →
Nearby

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