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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -36.06432, 174.39030. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 200 m return via same track
- Walking time
- 5 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Waipū area
- Seasonal restrictions
- The bridge crossing is submerged during periods of high rainfall.
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Follow a 200 m track across the Ahuroa River and on to the picturesque Piroa Falls.
This DOC directory entry covers Piroa Falls Track in Northland, within Waipū area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 200 m return via same track
- Walking time: 5 min
- DOC grade: Easy
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Seasonal restrictions
The bridge crossing is submerged during periods of high rainfall.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Bridge on the Piroa Falls TrackImage: Anh Nguyen
The track descends briefly down through bush into the gorge, there are a number of steps.
You cross the Ahuroa River on a concrete slab bridge with 'Rotary 1983' engraved on it (the track was built and upgraded courtesy of Maungaturoto Rotary Club). The bridge crossing is submerged during periods of high rainfall, do not attempt to cross when river is in flood.
A minute or two after crossing the bridge you arrive at the base of the picturesque Piroa Falls.
Getting there
Piroa Falls is located in the Waipū Gorge Scenic Reserve, signposted on SH1 at the foot of the northern side of the Brynderwyn Hills.
Follow Waipū Gorge Road for about 6 km until you reach the car park and track indicated by a DOC sign. Parking is limited on the narrow unsealed road, care should be taken here.
Know before you go
The bridge crossing is submerged during periods of high rainfall, do not attempt to cross when river is in flood.
The track can be slippery and muddy.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.
