The Ōrongorongo Valley is popular with day walkers and
trampers from the Wellington Region. The most popular access is via the Catchpool Valley. The four-hour return Ōrongorongo Track reaches the river where Turere Stream flows into it. From there, a number of day and multi-day tracks, ranging from walking tracks to routes, continue deeper into the Rimutaka Forest Park. Several Department of Conservation huts, some of them serviced, as well as basic private baches dot the Ōrongorongo Valley, mainly around the river's upper half. Until the 1850s land transport between Wellington and
Wairarapa used a route round the coast via the Ōrongorongo river mouth. In 2013 it became part of a
Great Ride cycle route, linking
Petone with the existing
Remutaka Rail Trail and completing a loop via Ocean Beach and Ōrongorongo on an farm track, via
Turakirae Head. Due to soft sand near the beach and rough rocks over stream
fans, a few short sections of the track cannot be cycled and a 2019/20 count of 1,976 trips along the section, was put down to this insufficient infrastructure. File:Orongorongo River.jpg|Looking north from Turere Stream File:Orongo2.jpg|Looking north over the "Mānuka Flats" File:Orongorongo Valley.jpg|
Northern rātā on flower behind Ōrongorongo River File:Orongo1.jpg|Looking at "Big Bend" from the "Wet Weather Track" File:Bridge over tributary into Orongorongo River.jpg|Bridge over Turere Stream, a tributary of the Ōrongorongo River File:Trailhead Sign for Orongorongo Track.jpg|Trailhead Sign for Ōrongorongo Track File:Tramping Orongorongo Valley 2013 10.jpg|alt=A woodburner in the middle of the image with a patch of sun on the hearth and a window to the left of the chimney. Towels drying above.|Inside one of the DOC huts 2013 File:Tramping, Orongorongo Valley 2013 08.jpg|alt=A green hut with a 4 steps up to a small porch. Lots of small windows including one above the porch like a house truck might have. Trees surround the hut..|Private bach File:Ōrongorongo river mouth.jpg|Ōrongorongo river mouth File:Wild Coast Track at Ōrongorongo.jpg|Start of Wild Coast Track and 492m Waimarara hill == Biodiversity ==