Blue Rata reserve is situated at the end of Saunders Rd close to the boundary of Egmont National Park. The road is a little rough and begins with a stream fording.
The reserve is named after the 'Stony River Blue Rata' a form of the common northem rata. The milled timber is dense, straight grained and very strong and has a blue-tinge. The reserve has the best remaining stand of blue rata outside Egmont National Park.
The track signage to the blue rata trees is no longer there, but Parking waypoint is also the trail-head