About | Waitonga Falls Track
The beautiful Waitonga Falls is 39m high, making it the highest waterfall in the Tongariro National Park. The walk out to it is under an hour and a half but give yourself and the kids time to have a good play and relax by the falls and along the way. This is a small part of the Round the Mountain Track.
Find the entrance of the track along Ohakune Mountain Road then immerse yourself into a beech and cedar (kaikawaka) forest, its floor fill with ferns and moss. There are streams and a swing bridge that the kids will delight in along the way. The forest then opens up to an alpine wetland and on clear days, you’ll see Mount Ruapehu in the distance. Keep walking along the boardwalk and you’ll come across the Rotokawa Pools. See a reflection of the mount on the surface on calm days.
Also, look for carnivorous sundews and bladderworts. They trap and consume small animals to survive and often grow in soil lacking in nutrients which makes this a great home for them.
Heading back into the forest, the track zigzags down the hill where you’ll hear the falls before you see them. Arriving at the stream, you’ll get a view of the falls off into the distance. Kids love to have a play and wander by the stream.
If you want to get closer to the Waitonga Falls there’s a lot of rock hopping involved. It’s a good idea to take shoes off just in case they slip into the water. The water is icy cold, coming from the snow on the mountain. It’s a lot of fun finding your own way there, climbing boulders, jumping from rock to rock and planning your next move, anything that doesn’t involve touching the cold water. When you reach the falls you’ll also find smaller falls on each side of it, cascading down from a mossy floor.
Time & distance: 4km return | 1 hour, 20 min (40 min each way)
Best time to go: in the wetter months for a more impressive waterfall.
Nearby
Mangawhero Falls
Turoa Ski Field
Ohakune Carrot Adventure Park
Location
11kms up Ohakune Mountain Road, you’ll see the big parking area and DOC sign on your right.
Photos
There are some waterfalls where photos just can’t do them justice and this is one of them. I’d unfortunately forgotten my camera so had to do with my phone instead. I love mountain walks and this one was no different. The crisp mountain air, the beautiful creeks, the alpine forest and the amazing waterfalls never seem to disappoint.
Whenever the boys see a stream they love to jump along the rocks, find ways to cross, race things down the flowing water and make fun plans and this was no exception. So off they hopped, along the stream, and I was able to take in the beautiful natural surroundings. Win-win.
We came across this waterfall and though it was small, it was adorable. I knew the kids would have loved playing by it but the track doesn’t actually go down to it. It was just a taste of what was to come.
A cloud was covering Mount Ruapehu that day but it was a nice sight anyways.
As in all of our walks, the boys are always racing ahead. It’s much more fun that way. They run ahead and find a comfy spot to sit or lay down and relax so that when we old things come walking past utterly exhausted, they rub it in. They see us see them happily lazing about and run ahead laughing. Little devils.
Our first sighting of the amazing, spectacular, brilliant and mighty Waitonga Falls and our mouths fall open and it’s like we’ve just hit the jackpot. Everything is just so picture perfect it was like we were in heaven.
Straight away the boys have mapped out their route of where they want to go and how they’re going to get there. We head first further down the creek to this boulder, conquer it, take a picture and then look around for what’s next. I know I’m keen to see how close we can get to the Waitonga Falls.
And so we hop along the rocks and try and find a way upstream. I’ve brought my jandals like a true kiwi so I don’t mind putting my feet into the water – it’s icy cold though so I can’t leave them in for too long. The boys have brought their shoes though and I’m pretty sure they slip along the rocks and get them a bit wet along the way but we don’t care, we’re set on our adventure and nothing will deter us.
We actually make it all the way to the waterfall and can actually stand right next to it and feel its spray against our faces. This was one epic adventure and I’d come and revisit it again anytime I can. Truly breathtakingly beautiful, this will remain one of our most treasured memories.
