Redwoods™ Treewalk

About Redwoods™ Treewalk

The forest changes as soon as you leave the ground. Suspended bridges carry you between immense redwood trunks, with lush native undergrowth carpeting the forest floor and soft light filtering through the canopy above. From this elevated perspective, the scale and stillness of the trees become impossible to ignore.

The Story of This Place

The redwoods were planted in 1901 as part of a New Zealand Government forestry experiment using seeds sourced from California. The trees thrived in Rotorua’s conditions, and the largest now reach up to 75 metres while continuing to grow. Redwoods Treewalk opened in late 2015, creating a new way to experience the forest from among the trees.

Cultural Significance

Redwoods Treewalk™ sits within the forest area commonly known as The Redwoods, part of the wider Tokorangi and Whakarewarewa forests. Local iwi (Māori tribal groups) Ngāti Whakaue and Tūhourangi have deep historical connections to these lands, which were once home to Māori settlements and cultivations and were important places for gathering food. The land is now under Māori ownership.

The Experience of Visiting

Visitors enter the Redwoods Treewalk™ by a giant spiral ramp before following a self-guided route across suspended bridges and viewing platforms. The walkway passes between towering redwoods, revealing changing perspectives of the trunks, treetops, native vegetation and forest floor. Handrails extend throughout the walk, seating is available on every platform and an optional higher section includes stairs at its entrance and exit.

Natural Features

The Redwoods Treewalk™ passes through a protected six-hectare stand of Californian coast redwoods, surrounded by native vegetation including sweeping silver ferns. The redwoods have grown particularly quickly in Rotorua’s rich volcanic soil, high rainfall and favourable climate. Their immense trunks and elevated canopy create a striking contrast with the delicate ferns and forest plants below.

Stories Shared Along the Way

Visitors can see an enormous slice from the trunk of a Californian sequoia tree that was more than 2,000 years old. Selected growth rings are marked with moments from human history, showing just how much of the world’s story unfolded during the tree’s lifetime.

Little-Known Facts

The suspended walkway was designed to protect the trees rather than pierce them. Its ecologically sensitive construction allows visitors to move through the canopy while supporting the Treewalk’s commitment to forest guardianship and monitoring the health of the trees and structures.

The walkway uses a New Zealand-first sling system suspended directly from the trees. It was specially engineered to protect the redwoods, surrounding plants and wider forest environment while allowing visitors to walk among the canopy.