🌊 Waitakere Falls – Auckland’s Hidden Gem! 🌊

Highest waterfall in Auckland Region, but often overlooked!

• Location: Northern Waitakere Ranges, 40 mins from Auckland 🚗

  'Waitakere Falls is roughly a 40 minutes’ drive away from Auckland City. The road surface is always sealed.

  You have two options to approach a car park: either follow the road which leads to Piha and turn right into Scenic Drive; or follow the road which leads to Bethells Beach and turn left into Scenic Drive. The car park, on your left if you choose the first option, is located on Scenic Drive and has a sign ‘Waitakere Dam Walk’. There are no facilities there (no toilets).

  A relatively easy 30-minutes Waitakere Dam Walk leads to the Waitakere Dam (Perfect place for a picnic with heaps of benches and nice view. A long-drop toilet is available near the Dam). From the Dam follow Waitakere Tramline Walk(you can find the entrance along the Waitakere Dam Walk, on the right, a minute before reaching the Dam) for 5-15 minutes and admit the beauty of the waterfall from a distance. The best view is just before the tunnel entrance, or 2-minutes walk past Kelly Stream Waterfall. Unfortunately, a closer approach is not possible. Return via the same track.

  The top of the fall is reachable as well. Walk down the stairs which you will find near the Dam (you can see these stairs from the Dam), then almost at the end turn right and descend to a bridge that goes over the falls. It's a nice spot for a picnic. Total walk is 5-10 minutes (return).

  You have two more options to approach the waterfall:

  • Combine a walking Cascade Track and a tramping Fence Line Track (roughly 2.5-3h return from Falls Rd);

  • Combine a tramping Anderson Track and Waitakere Tramline Walk (roughly 2.5-3h return from Scenic Dr).

  However, if you don't want or can't walk such a long track, you still have a chance to see the waterfall. Head north on Scenic Drive until you reach Pukematekeo Lookout carpark, on your left. Leave your car there and walk up the hill (1-2 minutes) - you will see Waitakere Falls from a distance.'

  - waterfalls.co.nz