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Piha Road, Waitakere Ranges, Auckland
Photo: Prosperosity · CC BY 4.0 · cropped

Drives Auckland, New Zealand Auckland, Waikato and the Coromandel

Piha Road

Piha Road · Scenic Drive junction → Piha

Twisty5.6 mi10 min700 ft climbHigh point ≈ 1,300 ftOne way
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The drive

Piha Road drops from the crest of the Waitākere Ranges to the surf beach at Piha: 9 km (6 mi) in about ten minutes, with hairpins and tight bends through native bush. It leaves Scenic Drive at Waiatarua and descends to the coast.

The last hill crest opens up the view of Lion Rock and the beach below. A roadside parking area on Piha Road, about 2.6 km from the beach, is the place to stop for the view.

It is a dead end at Piha Beach, so you return the way you came.

Along the way

  1. Scenic Drive junction
  2. Piha
Elevation
700 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 1,300 ft
Scenic Drive junctionPiha
Curves
Mostly moderate, with one twisty stretch
Scenic Drive junctionPiha
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The road is narrow, with hairpins, and it is busy on summer weekends.
  • Storm damage has closed Piha Road before, and parts of it can run as a single lane, so check Auckland Transport's page for the current layout.
  • Large parts of the Waitākere Ranges are closed to walkers because of kauri dieback, so check the signs before leaving the road.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Auckland Transport: roadworks and disruptions.

Questions about this drive

How long does Piha Road take to drive?

Piha Road from Scenic Drive to Piha is 9 km (6 mi) and takes about 10 minutes.

Is Piha Road twisty?

Yes. Piha Road drops through hairpins and tight bends in native bush, so it is slower than the distance suggests.

Where is the best view of Piha from the road?

A roadside parking area on Piha Road, about 2.6 km from the beach, looks out over Piha Beach and Lion Rock.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Piha Road, from Scenic Drive junction to Piha