The Tutukaka Coast is one of the many stunning areas in Northland, and the best ways to enjoy it is to walk to the most stunning view points in the area, the Tutukaka Lighthouse.
Spending quite a lot of time in Tutukaka I have found the walk to the Tutukaka Lighthouse to be a great activity to start or end a beautiful day out on the water.
There are a few important things to know before heading out on this walk. Keep reading to find everything to expect out on this epic walk.
Tutukaka Lighthouse Information
Distance: 2km
Time: Around 1 hour return
Difficulty: Easy with some uphill walking
When: Always do the walk 2 hours either side of low tide
Note: The Tutukaka Lighthouse is not a lighthouse like you would expect to see. It looks more like a trig station. However the views from here are stunning and better than a having a bigger lighthouse anyway.
How to Get There
To get to the start point of the Tutukaka Lighthouse walk you will need to drive a minute or so north of the marina to find a road call Landowners Lane.
This is a private road, however the public are allowed to use it to get through to the carpark at the end of the road.
There is quite a bit of parking here but I would recommend getting here earlier in the day to ensure you get a parking spot.
The walk to the lighthouse is one of the most popular things to do in Tutukaka so do consider this when deciding when to go.
If you get there and there are no parks left you can drive back down and park by the marina and go up a small side track. This does make the walk a bit longer.
To find this track go past Schnapper Rock and toward the public toilets. Just before the toilets you will see a track. This takes you up to Landowners Lane where you can just follow the road along to the carpark and the start of the walk.
Tutukaka Lighthouse Walk
There are many awesome walks in Northland and it just so happens that two of my favourites, the Whale Bay walk and of course the Tutukaka Lighthouse walk are only about a 10 minute drive from each other.
The Tutukaka Lighthouse walk is split into 3 sections. The initial part of the walk from the car park to the stairs, crossing over the beach to Kukutauwhao Island and the final walk up to the lighthouse.
These sections of the walk are all very different and there is a few things to know before beginning your walk.
As the walk to the lighthouse is a one way track, you will be following the same route back to the carpark to end the walk.
Beginning the Tutukaka Lighthouse walk
The track starts at the far end of the carpark on Landowners Land and makes its way through the grassy headland.
This part of the track is the easiest as it is flat and well marked out by the wide path making its way through the longer grass. Make sure to keep heading straight along the path towards the point.
There is a side track that takes you down to a small beach which is nice to visit if you have time. The beach here is quite rocky but there are plenty of other amazing beaches to enjoy in Northland.
Once you make it to the edge of the point you will see some stairs. Follow these stairs all the way down to the beach.
The views from the stairs are pretty cool and are a popular photo spot for those doing the walk.
Heading over to Kukutauwhao Island
As mentioned earlier in the post, it is important to start this walk 2 hours either side of high tide. This next section of the walk is the reason why.
From the bottom of the stairs you will need to cross a small section of beach and head over to Kukutauwhao to continue on to the next part of the walk.
If the tide is too high at this part of the walk, especially if the water is rough, it may be dangerous to cross over. Remember it may be fine to cross over the first time. But you don’t want to get stuck over there on the way back.
My biggest recommendation is to start the walk while the tide is still going out. This will mean you should have no problems on your walk back.
To find the start of the track on Kukutauwhai Island, head straight across towards the island from the stairs and you should see a couple of small signs directly ahead of you.
From here the track gets a bit more rugged as you make your way up to the Tutukaka Lighthouse.
Final Walk Up to the Tutukaka Lighthouse
You have now made it on the the final part of the walk up to the Tutukaka Lighthouse. Unlike the first part of the walk, this part of the track goes through native bush and it can be a bit harder and muddy if there has been some bad weather recently.
There is also a bit of uphill in this part of the walk but as long as you take your time it is nothing too difficult.
This is bar far my favourite part of the walk. You are surrounded by native bush with little openings along the way with epic views and all you can hear is the sound of the waves crashing and the bird song surrounding you.
After a bit of a climb you will come out to a small clearing a be greeted by the Tutukaka Lighthouse and stunning views of the coast.
Views from the Tutukaka Lighthouse
While the Tutukaka Lighthouse itself may not be too exciting, the walk up here is still definitely worth it for the amazing views.
There are 360 degree views from up here with views up and down the coast and right out to the Poor Knights Islands.
On a calm day, this is an amazing spot to relax and enjoy the views with a yummy picnic.
Check out the small side tracks where others have walked through, to get a glimpse of the coast away from everyone at the lighthouse.
Please note, there are steep drops from the lookout point so please be careful and watch children at all times.
Returning to the carpark
As the walk to the Tutukaka Lighthouse is a one way track, you will follow the exact same route to get back to the carpark.
The walk back should be slightly quicker as the stairs back up the point are not as steep as the lighthouse.
Conclusion: Tutukaka Lighthouse Walk
If you are in Tutukaka and want to change it up form being at the beach or on the water all day then going a walk out to the Tutukaka Lighthouse should be at the top of your to do list.
This spot truly is one of my favourites in the area and I know it will be one of your favourites too.
