The Hillary Trail is four-day (approx. 75km) tramping trail through the Waitakere Ranges and along Auckland’s west coast.  Named the ‘Hillary Trail’ after pre-eminent mountaineer and explorer Sir Edmund Hillary. The Hillary Trail officially opened on 11 January 2010 and connects a network of existing regional park tracks and basic backpacker campgrounds.

“The Trail epitomises the sense of adventure and personal achievement that Ed Hillary himself championed and was renowned for. It is not a walk in the park – but a chance for well-prepared trampers to experience the diverse, and often challenging west coast. The ARC hopes that creating an opportunity like this, in close proximity to urban Auckland, will inspire Aucklanders to get outdoors and experience the wilderness that exists on their own doorstep.” – Auckland Council Website

This web page is a resource and honour board for those brave souls that have run the trail in one effort!

Refer to the menu above to check out;

  • A detailed trail guide for runners – essential for people who haven’t done the trail before
  • A list of the records
  • A complete list of all finishers – those who have done the trail within one day

To submit your name for inclusion simply email shaun@lacticturkey.co.nz with the following; name, date you completed the Hillary Trail, time, direction you ran (northwards or southwards), route if different from the official one, who you did it with and a short 200 word comment or link to your blog or something.

This isn’t just for the fastest, simply finishing is actually quite an acheivement, so it’s worth recording your completion of a Hillary Trail run, no matter what the time!

To clarify the “official” trail is as per the map on the Auckland Council Hillary Trail Webpage. The only difference being that the map is not yet updated for the new route from the bottom of the Pararaha Valley. The official route now heads out to the dunes and heads north through the tunnel, then back to the Karekare carpark through the Pohutakawa Glade.

For more chat, questions and answers or to arrange a group run see the Facebook page – Hillary Trail Runners

Refer to the menu on the sign above to check out the records and finishers.

How about having a go at an event on the Hillary Trail – check out The Hillary – either 16, 34 or 80 km along the Hillary Trail on the 27th February 2016. Here is the event website or the Facebook page