SpotX offroad (37.1) Track Type:Clay,Ditches,Gravel,Hills,Mud,Overgrown track,Ridges,Rocks,Ruts. Maps:Topo50 maps BD35 & BD36. Distance:9.62km. Time:½ day Grade:3. Harder tracks, mud or sand dunes, some damage possible, mud tyres, intermediate / experienced drivers. Suitable:2 vehicles Access:From Te Aroha township, head south on the Te Aroha-Gordon Road. At the 11.2km mark, turn left into Thompson Road. This is the western side of Thompsons Track; the eastern side is in the Bay of Plenty Section. Features:It can be anything from an easy Sunday drive when it is dry, to extreme mud-plugging when it's wet. Ground clearance will be needed, ruts vary in size, steep ridges, tight corners, slips, washouts and lots of little ford crossings — it's perfect! This track is maintained by local 4x4 clubs and the Matamata-Piako District Council. Not far from the track, New Zealand's worst internal air disaster, ZK-AYZ, a DC3 airliner, crashed into the Kaimai Range in 1963. There were 23 people on board. Accommodation:There are no DOC campgrounds or huts in the region, but Te Aroha has a holiday park, (07) 884 9567. Contacts:Waikato DOC Conservancy Office, (07) 858 1000; Te Aroha i-SITE Visitor Centre, (07) 8848 052; Bay of Plenty 4WD Club and South Waikato 4WD Club, www.nzfwda.org.nz.
