Rainbow Mountain - Maungakakaramea

Volcanic Rainbow Mountain - Maungakakaramea, meaning 'mountain of coloured earth', has cooled over recent years. Some places are still smouldering but the native vegetation is regenerating

From the roadside on State Highway Five, an easy walking track leads to views over two crater lakes, it is about half an hour each way.

An option available from the craters is a three hour round tramping trip which provides extensive views from the top, probably the best views in the Rotorua region, of Mt Tarawera; Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana and Rerewhakaaitu to the north; the Paeroa Range to the west; the Urewera Ranges and Kaimanawa Forest to the east; and Mt Tauhara, Lake Taupo and the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park to the south.

Rainbow Mountain is of botanical and scientific interest. It has a complex mixture of plant species, some of which are rare and unique to geothermal areas.