The park, established in 1900, is dominated by the dormant volcano of Mount Taranaki. Since the area has a high rainfall rate and mild coastal climate there is a lush rainforest covering the foothills, changing to subalpine and alpine shrublands at high elevations, which are in stark contrast to the surrounding pasture farmlands.
Taranaki has been the Māori name for the mountain for many centuries. Captain Cook called it Mount Egmont, but is now officially named "Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont".