Upper Nihotupu Reservoir Picnic Area

Always great here, seavers Camp is a historic camp site, used during the construction of the dam and named after the camp cook 'Caroline Seaver'

Well maintained area and a nice picnic spot .

Upper Nihotupu is one of the Auckland council's important water supply reservoirs. It is an amazing technological marvel considering the times (1920s) and the human visionary that demonstrate the excellent skills in forecasting decades ahead water supply needs of the ever-increasing city's population. Reservoir is built with a double curvature concrete dam across the Nihotupu stream, completed in 1923. The Nihotupu Dam is about 30m tall and store over 2.2 giga litres of water.Turning halfway from Auckland-Piha main road you reach the adjoining small car park and do a walk about 5km on a well-maintained track by the Auckland Watercare services. Generally considered an easy route, it takes about an hour to complete one way. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and running. Starting though a beautiful native bush before joining a gravel road, this track is decorated with a couple of small waterfalls. A further 10-minute walk will take you to a picnic area where you can see the 6.5km narrow gauge old tramline which carted the construction material to the base of the Nihotupu Dam in the early last century. Currently it functions as the maintenance line for the main water pipe that carries water to the Titirangi filtration plant. It was also the track used to run the famous 'Rainforest Express' which operated up until 2014.

Such a tranquil spot. I love it here

Nice easy walk. Sheltered picnic area at the bottom.

Still a great walk to do again and again.

slience, peaceful road, good walking

Small spot next to train track. Short walk distance from the dam so worth going there if you planned a picnic

Toilet and good seating area, great walk over old tram tracks

Beautiful view to Piha from the top of the dam.Picnic area a nice place to rest sometime. A nice day out trail with kids . Easy walk under medium shade some areas ..Good one hour walk one way