There are several walking and mountain biking tracks in the Karangahake Gorge between Waihi and Paeroa. The Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway mostly follows the route of the old railway running through the gorge. The railway was closed and the rails removed in the 1970s, but some of the rail bridges still exist, and the rail line between Waikino and Waihi has been reopened for passengers on the Goldfields Railway.
The walkway/cycleway is now open from Waihi to Karangahake Hall as the western end of the gorge. Parking is available by the Karangahake Reserve, accessible directly from SH2, and further west by the Western Portal Bridge, which crosses SH2. The lower level of the bridge is a one-lane road bridge.