The park was the first in New Zealand, created in 1887, when the paramount chief Te Heuheu Tūkino IV gifted the sacred summits to the Crown, in order to protect them from being carved up and sold. It is also a dual World Heritage Site, listed for both its natural and its cultural value, a rare distinction.
The three peaks are Tongariro, Ngāuruhoe and Ruapehu, and they could hardly be more different. Ngāuruhoe is the near-perfect cone, young and steep, with a scree-covered flank that gives it a sinister look. Tongariro is a complex of craters, lava flows and bright lakes, including the Emerald Lakes, coloured by dissolved minerals. Ruapehu, the highest, at about 2,800 metres, carries a crater lake and the largest ski fields in the North Island. All three are active, and the eruptions of Tongariro in 2012 and Ruapehu in the 1990s remind visitors that the landscape is alive.
The country around Tokaanu, close to this point, is full of steam. The thermal area has hot springs, mud pools and a small walk along a boardwalk, and the pools are a good way to warm up after the cold air of the plateau. The lake, Taupō, lies to the north, vast and blue, and the winds that blow across it can be strong and sudden.
Riding here is open and scenic, with State Highways 1 and 47 offering long bends and views of the volcanoes. In winter, snow and ice can appear on the roads, and the weather can turn within minutes. Fog and rain are common on the western side, and wind can be fierce. The traffic is generally light, though busy on summer weekends and during ski season.
Fuel is available in Turangi, only about seven kilometres away, with stations, supermarkets and cafes. It is the sensible place to fill up and eat before going into the park.
Look for the early morning light, when the volcanoes are sharp against the sky. It is a landscape that deserves a slow approach.