Founded in 1887 and officially established in 1894, Tongariro is New Zealand’s oldest national park and the 4th in the world. It is a dual UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for both its outstanding natural volcanic features, including 3 active volcanoes: Mt. Ruapehu, Mt. Ngauruhoe, and Mt. Tongariro, and its cultural significance to the native Māori people.
Tawhai Falls Distance: < .50 Mile (Ranking 6th of the Top Hikes in Tongariro National Park per AllTrails.)
Up for a tame, super short stroll to a lovely waterfall? Tawhai Falls won’t disappoint. It’s an easy walk through the forest on a smooth trail to see the gorgeous, rushing, crystal-clear, turquoise waters of this 42-foot-high waterfall. You can take in the views from the top viewing platform and then follow the water’s journey to the base of the falls.
Getting to Tawhai Falls: It’s right off the SH48, about 2.5 miles below Whakapapa Village. Look for the large sign.
Taranaki Falls Distance: 3.73 Miles (The #2 Top Hike in the Park per AllTrails.)
Another tame and short walk to a waterfall is Taranaki Falls. Here, you’ll walk through the tussock (a golden, coppery red ornamental grass that is native to New Zealand) and alpine shrublands, enjoying expansive views of mountains and the beech forest, until you come to the star of the show— the dramatic 65 ft Taranaki Falls tumble down from top of the volcanic cliffs (formed by the Ruapehu eruption of 15,000 years ago) to a natural, boulder-ringed pool below.
In my opinion, this loop is most scenic clockwise, with the reward of rounding a corner for the big reveal (versus the anticlimax of seeing the comparatively anticlimactic top of the falls first). From the falls, the track climbs up to loop back, or you can continue your hike on the Tama Lakes Track (post to come).
Getting there: The trail starts from the road about 100 yards below the Whakapapa Visitor Centre.
Happy Trails and Waterfall Chasing!
On the Loose Live 