Mangakino on Lake Maraetai

Mangakino combines Lake Maraetai with active days: you can swim in the lake and choose from several trails; Lake Maraetai is also known as a wakeboarding destination. The lake sits on the edge of the town and is also the centre of Mangakino Village. If you’re looking for holiday accommodation for a stay filled with water and outdoor activities, Mangakino offers a clear starting point for these interests.

Lake Maraetai and Mangakino

The lake is part of the town’s character and a place for activities: visitors can swim in Lake Maraetai in Mangakino. Mangakino is also known as a wakeboarding destination and hosts the annual North Island Wakeboarding Championships. Everyday recreational activities and an annual wakeboarding competition therefore take place on the same lake.

Nearby is the Mangakino Recreation Reserve, also called the Mangakino Lakefront Reserve. The reserve has a boat ramp and jetty, as well as playground equipment, barbecue and picnic tables, and public toilets. If you’d like to consider these facilities as well as the lake during your stay, you can include them in your plans.

Trails of varying lengths and grades

The Waikato River Trails offer specific differences to consider when choosing a route. The Maraetai section starts in Mangakino. It is 12.3 kilometres long and rated Intermediate. Its starting point is next to the car park at the Mangakino Lakefront Reserve. The Waipapa Trail starts in Mangakino Village and leads to Waipapa Power Station. At 19.6 kilometres, it is longer and rated Advanced. Their lengths and grades give you two different points of reference when choosing a route based on these features.

The dam is a five-minute drive from Mangakino; visitors can stand on top of the dam and look down. If you’re interested in the Waipapa section of the Waikato River Trails, you can plan to use Mangakino as your starting or finishing point. The Maraetai Trail and Waipapa Trail differ in both their stated lengths and difficulty grades.

The Mangakino Suspension Bridge also offers a striking measure of the local landscape: it is 70 metres long and hangs 12 metres above the river. Another activity is Mangakino’s free, upgraded disc golf course. It has 18 baskets and two ways to play. So, alongside swimming and trails, wakeboarding and disc golf are other interests to consider when planning your trip.

Local history and more to explore

Mangakino was established in 1946 as a temporary settlement as part of the Waikato hydroelectric power scheme. The scheme involved building dams on the Waikato River. This history gives the town its own connection to the river and the hydroelectric power programme.

Events also connect Mangakino with activities on the water and trails: the Waikato River Trails Summer Sizzler running and walking event finishes on the shores of Lake Maraetai in Mangakino Village. The Timber Trail is also nearby—a 85-kilometre mountain biking trail rated Grade 3. If you’re choosing holiday accommodation with the lake, local trails or other outdoor destinations in the surrounding area in mind, these differences can help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

More destinations: Kinloch, Taupo, Tokaanu, Wairakei, Iwitahi, Waihaha, Mokai and Turangi.

For the broader travel overview: Taupo District.