The Ruahine Forest Park consists of beautiful bush-covered ranges, including the Ruahine Range. This range is geologically about 1–2 million years old, and has a unique characteristic in that it rises abruptly while being relatively narrow. This significantly impacts the weather on the range, with very high rainfall events (one trig station in the middle of the range has recorded an annual rainfall of five metres). Rivers and streams also deeply dissect the area, forming a network of significant rivers.
Vegetation in the park varies with the altitude. The forests in the north are generally a mix
