Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls
Located in Raglan area in the Waikato region
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Introduction
Walk to the top and down to the base of these spectacular 55 m falls.Dog access
Image gallery
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Viewing platform at the top of the falls Image: Pete Ashton | Creative Commons
![Viewing platform. Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls.]( "Viewing platform. Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls.")
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Looking down to the bottom view bridge Image: Russell Street | Creative Commons
![Looking up at the Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls from bridge below.]( "Looking up at the Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls from bridge below.")
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A Maori pou (carved pillar) at the start of the walk Image: itravelNZ® | Creative Commons
![Maori pou (carved pillar) greets visitors at the start of the Waireinga or Bridal Veil Falls walk.]( "Maori pou (carved pillar) greets visitors at the start of the Waireinga or Bridal Veil Falls walk.")
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Waireinga / Bridal Veil Falls Image: Tony Foster | Creative Commons
![Waireinga / Bridal Veil Falls.]( "Waireinga / Bridal Veil Falls.")
Car park to top of falls
Time: 10 min one way
Top of falls to base of falls
Time: 10 min one way
It is an attractive easy walk through native forest following the Pakoka River to the top of the Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls.
The two viewing platforms at the top of the falls provide spectacular views of the falls and surrounding countryside. From here, the track descends steeply down stairs to a midway viewpoint.
The track continues down more stairs to the bottom view bridge and information shelter where there is a magnificent view directly across the pool and up at the falls.
Access is via Te Mata Road off the Hamilton/Raglan Highway (SH23). Turn left into Kawhia Road, 1 km past Te Mata and travel another 4 km to the car park.
No swimming - water quality does not meet health standards for swimming.
No abseiling or rock climbing to protect endangered plants.
The track is no longer suitable for wheelchairs as it needs repairing after significant weather events.
Rocks around the pool are mainly soft sandstones that have been worn down by the river to form a large amphitheatre. If you look up from the base of the falls, you can see the band of hard basalt rock (which came from a volcano about 1.5 km away) that has resisted the erosive power of the water and now forms the lip of the falls.
Contacts
| DOC Customer Service Centre | |
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| Phone | 0800 275 362 |
| waikato@doc.govt.nz | |
| Address | DOC offices |