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33km
33km
This adventure starts at Mangapohue natural tunnel, through farmland and DOC tracks that wind along the Marokopa River.
Cross the side creek and through the jaw-dropping Marakopa natural tunnel. You emerge through sheep farms and view karst formations the entire journey to Frog Pond on Stubbs Farm.
From here, you are led into QEII Covenant-protected native bush – home to canyons, karst, rocky ridges, caves, and custom-made bush trails. Exiting Stubbs farm, you bomb downhill through several farms before the finish line at the Waitomo Glowworm Visitors Centre.
Recommend that runners and walkers have a good fitness level and are comfortable on bush tracks, uneven ground and possibly muddy terrain.
Start: Mangapohue Natural Tunnel
Finish: Glowworm Caves Visitors Centre
Point to point
Aid Stations: 4
Hills: Lots
Roots and rocks: Yes. Uneven terrain on farm tracks.`
Type: Farm tracks: 45% | Bush trails 50% | Well-formed DOC tracks and nature walk 5%
Vegetation: Farmland 60% | Native Forest 40 %
Recommended shoes: Trail
Child Friendly: Ages 16+ with considerable prior trail running experience. Expect this run to take 1-3 hours longer than a standard marathon.
Cutoff: 2:30 pm at Stubbs farm airstrip.
Fastest finisher time: 3:23 hours
Average time: 6:20 hours
Last finisher: 9:14 hours
Race finishers:
Mangapohue Natural Bridge - 12noon - 5:00pm
Race start:
Mangapohue Natural Bridge - 7:30am - 8:00am
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7:30am - Wave 1
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7:45am - Wave 2
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8:00am - Wave 3
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Catch the free shuttle bus from the Waitomo Domain, departing from 7:30am onwards. Last bus is at 9:30am. Registered runners and walkers only on the buses.
There are 3 aid stations on this trail - one is 10kms from the start, at Kokakoroa, and the other is 20.5kms from the start at Rollercoaster. There's also one at Stubbs airstrip - 23kms from the start.
There are toilets at the registration venue at the race start and finish lines. They are located at Waitomo Domain (the parking/bus pickup area), Mangapohue Natural Tunnel, Stubb’s Farm and Ruakuri Cave.
The best place to see and support your runner or walker is at the Waitomo Glowworm Cave Visitor Centre which is also where the finish line is.
Driving on Te Anga Rd
This is the road west of Waitomo Village. The road to Mangapohue Natural Tunnel is winding and narrow. Please obey the speed limits. Cars will encounter runners and walkers about 1km after Stubb’s Farm turnoff. Please obey speed signs and traffic marshalls.
Prizegiving will be at approximately 5:00 pm at the Waitomo Homestead.
Come and join us as we celebrate the 2025 event in all its glory. Relax with your friends, enjoy great food and drinks, win fantastic spot prizes and hear how the day went. The address is State Highway 3, 584 Main South Road 3977 Waitomo.
