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Key facts
- Distance
- 1 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 1 hr return
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Hakarimata Scenic Reserve
- 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
Pass through attractive native bush, alongside a stream, to an old dam - it's an easy and popular walk.
This DOC directory entry covers Waterworks Walk in Waikato, within Hakarimata Scenic Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 1 km return via same track
- Walking time: 1 hr return
- 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
This walk passes through native bush alongside the Mangarata Stream on the way to an old dam. There's a cleaning station at the start of the track for you to clean your shoes to stop the spread of kauri dieback.
The track is an easy gradient with an all-weather surface. But be alert for falling rocks on the narrower parts of the track between the waterfall and the stairs. Don’t stop on these sections and be extremely cautious in bad weather, when the likelihood of falling rocks increases.
Longer option
For a longer walk, you can do the Hakarimata Summit Track that continues on from the end of the Waterworks Walk.
Hakarimata Summit Track info.
Getting there
The track starts on Brownlee Avenue, off Hakarimata Road, approx. 1 km north of Ngāruawāhia.
Know before you go
Clean your shoes before coming, to reduce the chance of kauri dieback disease being spread. There is also a cleaning station at the start of the track.
History and culture
The 750,000 litre reservoir, built in 1922, was once the water supply for Ngāruawāhia.
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.
