Te Araroa : Upgrades planned, charges considered

The estimate of 500 is on the low side. Based on what I read on Te Araroa website, instagram, face book, trail journeys, and private blogs mentioned by others which lead to other blogs, plus cross referencing names mentioned by known walkers of others they had met along the way, names that did not correspond to any I had already come across the numbers are more likely to be in the region of 672. The number that I have been unable to verify may raise that number to 703. Not bad for a trail that at least half say they hate the first half of it. Not all walked both Islands. Very few walked NOBO. New Zealanders walking it were a minority. Despite all the critical comment on the trail the most common theme seems to be that the vast difference between the North and the South Island makes it feel like two different trails. The North being an immersion in the people an culture and the South the wilderness experience but with the wilderness experience being dulled by too many people. At least that is the opinion I have formed from reading all that I have.

I have heard lots of figures, many sounding inflated, some even claiming 3000+ would be starting TA next year..... Which is a crazy figure, because that would put it in the ball park of the Pacific Crest Trail which is much more established and drawing in walkers from a significantly larger domestic market. A peak of around 1200 a year seems pretty realistic. Would be interesting to know where the extra funding to upgrade the track and facilities is coming from. Would some of the other huts/tracks see less funding. Overall, it is a good thing more people are getting to see the Richmond Forest park. It is a real jewel which so many people overlook.

If infrastructure needs upgrading thanks to TA numbers then a way should be found to make them pay for it (unless you subscribe to the argument that TA is drawing them in in the first place, with the shortfall made up for ultimately by what they spend while here). But there's little doubt that those kinds of numbers across peak times will make TA tracks and huts near no-go areas for most locals, in the same way most of us avoid Great Walks in season.

For the many thousands who've done the PCT at least once, the TA is a very attractive next challenge. And now the global community is aware of the TA I'd be pretty sure the numbers will explode.