Taranaki Falls — Attraction in North Island

The Taranaki Falls walk is a 6km loop track that begins about 100m below the Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre and takes about 1-2 hours to complete depending on your walking speed. There is a small parking area at the upper trail entrance and you can also park opposite the Visitor Centre - it's a P60 area but if it's not crowded you'll be okay to park there. There are toilets at the car park as well as inside the Visitor Centre. This hike is suitable for everyone except very young children and is rated as easy. I'd recommend taking the lower part of the loop trail as it gives nice views of the falls as you approach. There are various viewpoints from which to take pictures. To continue the loop, climb the 100 steps to the top of the falls (if you prefer going down more than up then walk the loop in the opposite direction). There's a toilet at the top of the falls and you have the option to add on the Tama Lakes hike - but this will take at least another 2 hours return and is more challenging. All trails are very well maintained. The return part of the loop crosses a bridge and follows the edge of the lava flow through eroded gullies - offering glimpses of the Chateau Tongariro Hotel. On a clear day you'll also get views of Mt Ngauruhoe - unfortunately on this day the weather closed in under a blanket of...

The Taranaki Falls walk is an easy 6km loop track that will take you around 2 hours return.

On a good day with clear visibility the volcanoes Ngauruhoe can be seen as well as the older mountains of Tongariro and Pukekaikiore.

Mount Ngauruhoe is a volcanic cone in New Zealand. It is the youngest vent in the Tongariro stratovolcano complex on the Central Plateau of the North Island and first erupted about 2,500 years ago. Although often regarded as a separate mountain, geologically, it is a secondary cone of Mount Tongariro.

In the far distance, you also have the opportunity to see Mount Taranaki which is a sleeping dormant stratovolcano in the Taranaki region on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. At 2,518 metres, it is the second highest mountain in the North Island, after Mount Ruapehu 2,797 metres.

I don't want to be around when these sleeping volcanoes erupt.

The Taranaki Falls is spectacular and a...

Awesome trek through old lava fields, alpine shrublands and beech forest.

DOC says it won’t take longer than 2 hours, I stopped for several photo breaks and the 4.5 mile loop took me 1 hour and 15 minutes.

I would recommend going counter clockwise, northern track first. There’s a gradual climb to the falls and then several steep stairs back down to the bottom of the gorge; I think its harder on the knees to go up stairs vs down.

There is a porta-loo midway near the top of the falls. More services available at the visitor center near trail head.

Too cold to swim in August but there are several pools along the river that would be nice for a dip during summer.

Lastly, parking north of the Chateau for 60mins+ requires a parking pass during Covid level 2 (available for free at visitor center). Parking south of Chateau is 180 minutes and does NOT...