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Key facts
- Distance
- 11 km loop
- Walking time
- 3 hr 30 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. 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
On the Whirinaki Waterfall Loop Track you'll follow the Whirinaki River as it flows through podocarp forest.
This DOC directory entry covers Whirinaki Waterfall Loop Track in Gisborne, within Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 11 km loop
- Walking time: 3 hr 30 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.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This easy loop track follows the Whirinaki River through superb podocarp forest with many excellent vantage points of the river. The waterfall can be heard from some distance. Take your lunch to enjoy along the way - there are picnic tables and a toilet at the waterfall.
This track visits some of the parks special features and shows off the magnificent 'dinosaur forset', dominated by towering examples of kahikatea, tōtara, matai, rimu, miro and tawa.Ensure you stop off along the track when you can see the river as this is the best river in the Bay of Plenty to view blue duck/whio.
There are steep drops and muddy/slippery sections on this track – take care and supervise children.
Check for road closures before leaving on your trip.
Getting there
Whirinaki Forest Park is 90 km south-east of Rotorua, and reached via Minginui Road, off Te Whaiti Road (old SH 38), then via Old Te Whaiti Road and River Road to the River Road car park.
The access road is gravel. Be aware that the road from Minginui to the track car park is unsealed. It is suitable for two wheel drive vehicles but drive with caution.
Know before you go
Steep drops – watch your feet and keep an eye on children
There are steep drops next to the track at various places through this walk. Take care in these sections and supervise children closely.
Track can be slippery and muddy
This track can get very slippery and muddy, particularly after rain. It is best walked in sturdy shoes with good grip.
No cell phone reception on the track
There is no cell phone reception on the track. Consider carrying another type of communication device, like a distress beacon.
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.
