Rotary Ride and Waikato River Track: Walking Guide, Time & Access

Route overview

These two tracks along the banks of the Waikato River allow for stunning views of the river, and access to Huka Falls and the network of mountain bike trails in the area.

This DOC directory entry covers Rotary Ride and Waikato River Track in Central North Island, within Taupō 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
• Walking time: 1 hr
• 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.

Dog access

Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

Rotary Ride: Spa Park to Huka Falls

Time: 30 min mountain bikeDistance: 6 km

This track is primarily a mountain bike track, but walking is not prohibited.

Starting at the carpark, follow the mountain bike signs through the gully and down to the Otumeheke Stream, approximately 200 metres upstream from the Waikato River.

After crossing the stream, the track meanders through gullies, twists around trees, runs alongside open farmland, crosses two bridged streams, passes through culverts and has great views of the Waikato River and open valleys. Mainly a two way track, it does split in a number of places to form a one way single track.

Return via the same track or link with other trails in the area.

Getting there: Access to Spa Thermal Park is on County Avenue, off Spa Road.

Waikato River Track

Time: 1 hr walk, 20 min mountain bikeDistance: 2 km

This shared-use track starts at the Huka Falls carpark and ends at Otupo Flat.

Five minutes down the track there is a grassed area with great views back to the falls. From here there is a short steep climb up to the road and cafe, then the track drops again to the river through the Totara Gully and ambles along through a variety of terrain and vegetation. There are several short side tracks to points of interest along the way.

For mountain bikers, the Cafe Track and Ferguson's sections are grade two, whereas Te Totara Gully and Gut sections are a challenging grade three with sharp climbs and descents.

Getting there: Huka Falls is just a five minute drive north of Taupō, off SH1 on Huka Falls Road.

Know before you go

For a complete map, and more information on the mountain bike trails in this area visit Bike Taupō.

These are shared-use tracks. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.

Water safety

Take great care if you plan to swim in the Waikato River – the river is deep and fast flowing.

If you plan to enjoy the water, learn how to stay safe when swimming, boating and fishing.

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 a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.