Remote Te Pōhue, on the Napier-Taupō highway, was once on a Māori track cutting across the tribal boundaries of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Tūwharetoa - two tribes that were in conflict for a period, then made peace. Around 1870 a coach road was cut through the dense forest, and a hotel was built at Te Pōhue for travellers.