Mount Eden Volcano: Auckland’s best hike for city and crater views

Whether you are a local like us or visiting Auckland, there are many reasons to hike to the summit of Maungawhau / Mount Eden volcano.

First, at 196 metres (645 feet) above sea level, the Mount Eden summit is the highest natural point in Auckland, yet somehow the walk to the top is pretty easy. Best of all, not only do we enjoy an impressive 360º view of the city, but we can also look into the now grass-covered 50-metre (160-foot) deep crater.

This extinct volcano last erupted over 28,000 years ago, long before human inhabitants.

Its native Māori name is Maungawhau, meaning ‘mountain of the whau tree’. The English named it for George Eden, the first Earl of Auckland. Today’s signage contains both names: Maungawhau / Mount Eden volcano.

The city of Auckland is built on 48 volcanic fields. Maungawhau / Mount Eden volcano is just one of them, but if you only have time for one, we believe this is it.

Note: Current construction (as of June 2023) prevents getting to the summit, but you can still see the crater and fabulous views from the viewing platform. The target completion is 2023.

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An easy hike to the Mount Eden summit

Regardless of which way we go, the easy walk to the top takes us no more than about 20 minutes. It’s less than 10 if we park near the toilet blocks (see below for all the car park options).

The main choices to the top are the road or a dirt-packed trail.

Gently sloping upwards, the road circles the mountain and is the easiest option. The road closed to traffic in 2016. Today, walkers, joggers, and cyclists ignore the directional arrows on the ground as they wind their way to the top. Note that very occasionally, approved vehicles still use the road.

While the hiking trail is a bit steeper, it’s more direct. Either way, the walk is easy, and the views are lovely all the way up.

At the top

You will instantly know when you are at the top by the massive crater in front of you, a pretty unique site even in NZ. The actual highest point is on the south rim under a large geo-marker.

Despite having been here many times, the stunning views and the massive crater still mesmerise me. Note that while it looks inviting, the crater is sacred to the Māori people and, therefore, should not be entered.

A boardwalk around the crater rim opened in late 2020. It protects the land from the footsteps of nearly one million annual visitors. The final opened in 2023.

While it orbits the crater’s 180-metre diameter, it also protects the pā (fortified settlement) remnants winding through the terraces and pits. Conservation of history was a priority.

The boardwalk also has a lovely viewing platform, an ideal spot for sitting and enjoying the views of Auckland CBD and the Waitematā Harbour, and is one of the most beautiful places in Auckland.

A quick history of the Mount Eden volcano

Maungawhau is a cinder cone, also called a scoria cone.

It formed about 28,000 years ago when two overlapping volcanic cones erupted, one after the other. Scoria from the second eruption filled the first crater. Mount Eden’s big crater is from that second eruption.

Interestingly, up until recently, Maungawhau was thought to be 15,000 years old. However, in April 2020, city rail link workers found fragments of a whau tree under an ancient lava field. Carbon dating confirmed it to be 28,000 years old.

Fast forward 20k years. Around 800 years ago, Maungawhau was a large Māori pā providing safety for hundreds of people. Earthworks created flat terraces for living and working spaces, whereas crop storage was in pits.

The crater’s name, Te Kapua kai a Mataaho, translates to ‘the food bowl of Mataaho’. He is the deity responsible for volcanic activity, according to Tupuna Maunga Authority.

Today, Maungawhau, along with other Auckland ancestral mountains, is on a tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status.

A few of the other volcanos seen from the summit

Rangitoto is Auckland’s youngest volcano, formed about 600 years ago.

Getting to Mt Eden (and car parking tips)

Located just outside the city centre, it’s pretty easy to get to Maungawhau. We either drive or walk, depending on where we are starting.

There are several city buses that pass by, taxis or Uber from the CBD, and soon the Mt Eden train station will reopen, although not as soon as locals would like.

If you prefer to have a guide or have a very limited amount of time in Auckland, there are several city tours that include visits to Mount Eden.

Choose from either a half-day or full-day option, the full day including a visit to the west coast to see the gannet colony, black sand beaches, and enjoy a wine tasting. Reserve your half-day Auckland tour here or your full-day Auckland tour here.

If you love walking but don’t want to do it alone, consider this 5-hour volcano tour with a discount that hikes up four Auckland volcanos, including Mt Eden.

Finding a car park

The map features the four parking options that we are aware of, as well as the summit. The paved road is a solid line (the arrows are for traffic only), while the dashed lines are the hiking trails.

The road to the top closed in 2016, except for those with mobility restrictions. If this is someone in your party, ring 09 379 1340 (Auckland Council) for the code that will drop the bollards and allow you access.

We usually park our car near the playground at the Tahaki Reserve and walk from there. When that’s full, we enter at Puhi Huia Rd. There is plenty of parking along the road just beyond the roundabout and before Clive Rd.

When we are feeling a bit lazy, we turn south at the roundabout. There is a small carpark at the end of that street near the public toilets and the permanently closed Whau Cafe.

One more option, Glenfell Place, has limited street parking and a trailhead marker to get you onto the path.

Tips for visiting the Mount Eden volcano

• There is a toilet block just beyond the base of the stairwell (if you start at Tahaki Reserve) and one above the roundabout on Puhi Huia Rd. There are no toilets at the top.
• Both pedestrians and non-motorised bicycles can use the summit road.
• Dogs are not allowed on Maungawhau.
• It is one of my many amazing public Auckland parks.
• Like Mount Victoria across the Harbour Bridge, visiting at sunset is a lovely time of day.
• Interestingly, from the Mt Eden summit, you are at nearly the same height as the viewing platform on the Sky Tower.
• It’s easy to see why this is one of our favourite Auckland walks.

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