Wairere Falls

What: 2.5-3 hour return tramp to the top of the Wairere Falls (highest waterfall in the North Island)


When: Anytime of year (Summer for swimming)


Where: Goodwin Road, Te Aroha


How… 
This track boasts an array of beautiful sceneries, full of moss-covered rocks, native forest, clear streams, baby waterfalls and the stunning 153m high Wairere Falls.  

The track was well marked and maintained and easily found following the DOC signs from the carpark on Goodwin Road.  Moss-covered rocks and an assortment of tree root-steps made up the first part of the track as it wound towards the river.  As the track reached the river a series of bridges assisted with river crossings, providing great views of the baby ‘river falls’ along the way.  

After the bridges the ascent steepened with a long staircase leading to the top of the gorge.  A few minutes further through the bush and we reached the Wairere Falls lookout (signposted – about 2 minutes off the main track).  The platform looks out from the base of the falls and provided some great snaps of the majestic falls.  


From the lookout the ascent to the top of the falls grew substantially steeper with plenty of stairs to keep the heart rate up. The last ten minutes or so of the track to the  summit was a welcome flat path through more gorgeous bush, finally reaching the crystal clear waters flowing down from the top of the Kaimais (probably drinkable!).  

The summit platform provides expansive views of the surrounding valley and Waikato Farmland and the river looks most inviting with several small water holes for those hot summer days (just don’t get too close to the edge of the falls!).  

The return walk follows the same track back to the carpark on Goodwin Road with the descent taking about half as long as the climb!