This waterfall is located in the heart of unspoiled native bush
in one of New Zealand's hidden valleys. Your drive to the cache
will be over a well maintained single lane gravel road in a
beautiful part of the country.
Getting to the cache
Turn on to Ohura road just north of Raetihi. Follow this road for
about 15km where you will reach a bridge. Go over the bridge and
turn left into Ruatiti road. The road becomes a gravel road that
you will follow for about 20km to your destination. If unsure,
follow the signs along the gravel road to The Old West Town Ranch. The
ranch is about 200m further up the road from the cache.
The drive in
We found this gravel road to be one of the best we have driven.
Very even, and well maintained with many places to pass oncoming
traffic. We even passed a grader on the way in. There looks to have
been quite a few slips due to rainfall, so I imagine that if you
are planning a winter excursion to the cache, you may find that
access will be more difficult. The terrain rating is a reflection
that you will be driving over mostly gravel single lane roads in
rural New Zealand.
 |
 |
About the cache
I have named the cache after Mellonsfolly Ranch up the road.
It is a old west themed ranch which we thoroughly enjoyed when we
spent the night there with a group for a 40th birthday. The cache
is a 1 litre camo painted sistema container placed near the
waterfall on the side of the road before you get to the ranch. This
essentially makes the cache a driveby (albeit after a long and
winding drive). There is room to park within about 20 metres of the
cache (to the side of the road), and about 200 metres either side
of the cache is room to turn your vehicle around. The cache
contains a logbook, pencil and the usual goodies. Please keep an
eye on children as there is a drop over the edge.