Getting there
Leyland Road, Whakamarama
Turn off State Highway 2 at Barrett Road and follow the signs up Leyland Road. There is a car park at the entrance to the reserve.
About the walk
Short loop: 20 minutes
Long loop: 1 hour
Puketoki is one of the oldest reserves in the Western Bay of Plenty and the Te Puna Stream, which runs past the picnic spot, provides a safe, shallow spot to cool off.
There are two loop tracks, a short loop and a long loop. Most of the short loop is shared with the long loop nearest to the reserve entrance. Both loops together are about 3.2 kilometres in length and can be walked in about one hour. They are also popular fitness tracks for runners.
The short loop is an easy walk with gentle slopes and no steps. The long loop has steps in various locations, but no steep bits. Both are well marked and well formed.
Car parking, picnic area and toilets are located at the entrance.
Dogs on a leash are permitted in the reserve.
This bush reserve (34 hectares) was donated to the Whakamarama Community in 1926 by Henry Sharplin of the Whakamarama Land and Timber Company.
Before that time it was milled, so only the old surviving trees would be those not suitable for timber at that time. Tramways for transporting logs can still be seen along the walking tracks.
