Owharoa Falls is a staircase waterfall and is roughly a 2-hours drive away from Auckland or 1-hour from Tauranga.
If you drive from Karangahake Gorge, take SH2 eastbound and follow it for the next 5km. When you see a sign ‘Owharoa Falls’ turn right into Waitawheta Rd, cross the river via a one-lane bridge. The carpark is on the right-hand side a few meters away from the bridge. There are no facilities there (no toilets).
From the carpark follow Owharoa Falls Walk to the waterfall’s base. The walk (5 minutes one way) is a very easy one. It has some stairs hence not suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, but if you’re in a wheelchair, you can see almost half of the waterfall from the carpark.
You can swim at the falls, so bring your togs.
There are two more waterfalls located on the Taieri Stream. The second one is inaccessible (or at the very least it is not easily accessible) - only the top of the falls can be seen from the road. The third waterfall is easily accessible and can be seen from the road as well. To access it, drive for a couple more minutes along the stream, cross the bridge, and then you'll find a carpark. The falls themselves can be seen from the bridge.
Mountain biking options: the Hauraki Rail Trail (Grade 1-2; 2 days) starts in Thames and finishes in Te Aroha. A shorter option is available from Paeroa to Waihi (25 km), or a short ride from Karangahake Gorge to Owharoa Falls (a couple of hours return).
Falls Retreat is close by to have a meal or something to drink. Please call in advance to make sure they are open.
To log the cache you need to:
1. Message the CO the following answers to the questions:
A. What is the six digit number at the back of the sign post at the entrance to the waterfall?
B. How many wooden steps are there on the way to the waterfalls from the car park?
2. Take a picture of your Geocache name with the waterfall in the background and upload it with your log.
3. Please do not post any answers in your log.
4. You can post your log immediately. You don't have to wait for a reply to log.
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.