The Tairua River Trail is the other great run in Pauanui. This 6.4 km trail winds its way through mangroves, native forest and rolling farmland. There are wonderful water views of the Tairua River most of the way. The surface is a mix of paved and some dirt, with a couple of boardwalks. The northern terminus is just 2 km from central Pauanui.

The north end starts at the western end of the Pauanui Waterways, where the signposted entrance is adjacent to the “Ian Hopper Memorial Rock”. There’s a scenic boardwalk over the river. Continue along the trail, enjoying the water views and open farmland. Just past the 1 km mark, there’s an optional short loop at Memorial Forest on a boardwalk among mangroves.  The southern end of the trail parallels Hikuai Settlement Road for 2.5 km.

Note: There are plans to build a 120m pedestrian suspension bridge connecting Tairua and Pauanui, which would make for a fantastic 15 km off-road trail. See this site for updates!