Skyline Section

The Skyline section of the road climbs through the bush until it reaches the highest point of the road at around 2400 feet above sea level. Here the older bridle trail road heads more directly towards Horopito. The newer 1906 section of road continues to the Taonui Viaduct.

Along the Skyline section are some very interesting features.

There is the inclined loading ramp beside the road, the stockpile of cobblestones, the quarry, the drill holes in the quarry rock face, numerous campsite clearings along the way, drains under the road still carrying water, and a collapsed wooden bridge.

Rock from the quarry was carried along the road to make concrete for the Taonui Viaduct piers and for a big culvert under the railway tracks.

The road continues close the edge of the volcanic plateau till it reaches the top of the 1987 railway cutting which took out a section of the coach road.

From here a new track heads down to the Taonui Stream and across a new foot bridge near the ford where the coaches crossed.