I hiked through an abandoned gold mine from the 1800s in New Zealand and lived to tell the tale — here's what I saw
Talia Lakritz
- Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway in Karangahake, New Zealand, follows an old railway line between Paeroa and Waihi.
- The trails also provide access to a historic abandoned gold mine with pitch-black tunnels and train tracks to nowhere.
- The low-impact hike is about two hours from Auckland.
On a trip to New Zealand last year, our group stopped about halfway through the drive back to the airport to stretch our legs on a hike. It turned out to be one of the most memorable stops on our trip.
About two hours outside of Auckland, Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway in Karangahake, New Zealand, used to be a gold mine in the late 1800s through the early 1900s. Today, it's an eerie hiking spot complete with rusty mining equipment, pitch-black tunnels, and abandoned train tracks to nowhere.
Take a look inside this abandoned gold mine on New Zealand's north island.
To enter the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway, we crossed a bridge over the Ohinemuri River.
A sign next to the bridge announced that we were about to explore the Historic Rich Gold Mining Site in Karangahake Gorge. It presented different trail options including a Rail Tunnel Loop and a "Windows Walk," and encouraged visitors to bring a flashlight.
The trails were lined with informational plaques featuring historic photos of the now-abandoned mine.
Settlers established a mining town in the area in the late 1800s, though the indigenous Maori people had been living there for centuries.
The placards explained how miners would dig holes in the ground to roast the ore in order to burn off impurities and harvest more gold.
A photo from the 1890s showed multiple buildings and kilns, a stark contrast to the overgrown paths we were walking along.
Some remnants of the mining town remain.
Shorter tunnels were framed by wooden beams, creating a walkway.
Some of the old railways along the Rail Tunnel Loop still contain mining carts.
The cart was chained to a small stretch of track, allowing hikers to push it a few inches back and forth. Some people even climbed inside and took photos.
They now serve as a hiking trail.
The railway connected the towns of Paeroa and Waihi.
Sections of the old tracks end abruptly, obscured by dirt and shrubbery.
The tracks have been reclaimed by nature.
The empty tracks leading into a thick forest made for an eerie hike.
We all felt thoroughly creeped out.
When we followed the tracks to the mining tunnels, it became clear why the sign at the entrance had advised bringing a flashlight.
The tunnels were a short walk along the railways.
They were pitch black.
After just a few steps into the tunnels, the light from outside faded, leaving us in the dark.
Using the flashlights from our phones, we explored the passageways where miners had once worked.
The industrialization of the late 19th and early 20th centuries changed the landscape of Karangahake Gorge. Mountains that had remained untouched were hollowed in order to mine the land for gold.
We were pleasantly surprised to find some of New Zealand's famous glow worms inside the dark tunnels.
The bioluminescent glow worms can be found across New Zealand. We had visited the famous glow worm caves in Waitomo the day before, so we recognized their characteristic blue dots of light.
We continued zig-zagging through the dark tunnels, occasionally dipping out into the light for stunning views along the Windows Walk.
Miners had cut archways into the rock looking out onto the gorge and river below. The "windows" provided breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery.
Not all of the passageways were open to hikers.
Some of the tunnels were blocked off with signs warning hikers of danger.
Upon taking a closer look, the tunnels looked too narrow to get very far into.
Perhaps some of the tunnels had collapsed or caved in over time.
As we made our way back out and across the bridge, we felt like we'd ventured into an Indiana Jones movie.
We hadn't seen any ghosts, but the abandoned mining machinery, railways, and tunnels were enough to send a chill down our spines.
Even with the ominous surroundings, the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is a low-impact, family-friendly hike that's worth a visit.
We saw plenty of families with children walking along the railways and through the tunnels. The paths are clearly marked, and the fascinating history of the area makes for an educational trip as well as a thrilling one.
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