Locals say this forest path was cursed decades ago – now DOC has blocked access

A remote bush track in the North Island has just been closed off without warning — and for the nearby community, it’s bringing back memories of a story they thought had been buried.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has sealed access to the forest route, citing vague safety concerns.

But for many locals, it’s not the weather or slips they’re worried about.

They say the path was cursed decades ago — and should have stayed forgotten.

A quiet closure with no explanation

The track, which runs through a dense section of forest near the foothills of the Kaimai Ranges, was never an official Great Walk — but it had a quiet following among experienced trampers and hunters.

Last week, DOC installed a locked gate across the old trailhead, along with a laminated sign:

“Track closed until further notice due to environmental instability.”

But no reports of landslides or flooding have been logged. No storm hit the region. And the path had been used as recently as March.

Locals, however, weren’t surprised.
“We always said it should’ve been shut years ago,” says Hoani, who lives nearby. “That place doesn’t want visitors.”

The story they still whisper

According to long-standing residents, the path — once known as Te Ara Huna — runs close to an area believed to be the site of a historical betrayal during inter-iwi conflict.

Some say it was a sacred place used for burial. Others whisper about a tohunga who placed a protective curse on the land after being forced into exile.

In the 1970s, the track was cleared by trampers who claimed to have seen “strange fogs, sudden drops in temperature, and heard voices”.

In the early 2000s, a local hunter went missing for two days — only to reappear disoriented and unable to explain what had happened.

“He kept saying he saw someone following him,” recalls Maraea, whose family has lived in the area for generations. “But no one else was up there.”

DOC keeps quiet

When asked about the closure, a DOC spokesperson said only:
“We are conducting an environmental and cultural assessment of the area and will provide updates when available.”

They refused to comment on local legends or whether iwi had requested restrictions.

Ngāti Hauā, the mana whenua in the region, released a brief statement:

“Certain parts of the ngahere (forest) require rest, and respect. We support DOC’s decision.”

No further details have been provided.

Will it ever reopen?

As of now, the path is officially off-limits — and according to some, it should stay that way.

“People think a curse means ghosts or stories,” Hoani says. “But sometimes, a place just doesn’t want to be walked on. You feel it in your bones.”

Whatever the truth is — environmental, cultural, or something less explainable — the forest has taken its path back.

And no one seems eager to claim it.