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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: -39.32467, 174.10640. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 10 min one way
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Dawson Falls area / Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki
- Dog access
- No dogs. 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
Walk to the lookout point or the base of Dawson Falls in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki.
This DOC directory entry covers Track to Dawson Falls in Taranaki, within Dawson Falls area / Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. 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: 10 min one way
- DOC grade: Easiest
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
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Descend the short stepped track to join Kapuni Loop Track and turn right to continue on either to the base of the 18 metre falls or the lookout point.
The falls was named after Thomas Dawson, the first European to discover this 18 m high waterfall in 1885.
To Māori they are known as Te Rere o Noke or the Falls of Noke, a Māori warrior who hid from his pursuers behind the falls.
Getting there
Starting in Stratford, turn off State Highway 23 into Celia Street, which becomes Opunake Road.
Follow this for 14 km, then turn right into Manaia Road.
Continue on this road for 9 km up the mountain to Dawson Falls Visitor Centre.
Know before you go
Be ready for changeable weather
Taranaki Maunga has changeable and unpredictable weather. Check the forecast and carry enough clothing and equipment to ensure you are able to cope with any type of weather, at any time of the year.
Snow, high rainfall and storm damage can make tracks impassable.
Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki weather forecast – NIWA website
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.
