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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: -37.90772, 174.89902. 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
- 20 min one way
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Raglan area
- 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 top and down to the base of these spectacular 55 m falls.
This DOC directory entry covers **Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls ** in Waikato, within Raglan 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: 20 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
Car park to top of fallsTime: 10 min one way
Top of falls to base of fallsTime: 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.
Getting there
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.
Know before you go
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.
Nature and conservation
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.
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.
