There’s a few hours of daylight left after the long hike up to Syme Hut and back via Lake Dive, so I’m heading off on the shorter and much easier Wilkies Pools and Dawson Falls Loop. (You could also do the pools and waterfall as two separate hikes, but combining the Wilkies Pool Loop Track and Ridge Loop Track makes a very scenic circular hike.)
The signposted Wilkies Pools Loop Track starts just above the carpark; this first part of the hike is on a “pushchair, wheelchair and child friendly” track, so it’s very easy walking.
The somewhat over-engineered trail means you can enjoy the gnarled, moss-covered trees of the kamahi (goblin) forest without any risk of tripping over!
After about 900m the trail reaches the rocky Kapuni Stream, and an elevated boardwalk continues up along the river.
Wilkies Pools are just above a sturdy suspension bridge over the Kapuni Stream; the pools are named after the Wilkies brothers (F.W and W.J Wilkie) who farmed the local area in the late 19th century.
The pools are an incredibly picturesque (the photos don’t really do them justice) series of cascading waterholes, sculpted by the Kapuni Stream out of an old lava flow. Most of the pools are shallow, but at least one is deep enough for a dip if you’re brave enough to jump in the icy water.
Above waterholes is a magical little grotto, where multiple streams drop into a shallow pool, surrounded on three sides by moss-covered walls.
The pools are just as picturesque from above, as you scramble up the edge of the lava flow next to the series of pools.
On a clear day, Mount Taranaki towers above Wilkies Pools, while looking back downstream you can see the suspension bridge over the Kapuni Stream.
The easiest way back would be the same way… but it’s much nicer to continue along the Wilkies Pool Loop Track to form a loop – there’s a short loop and a longer loop option. (The trail on the return segment of the loop is a little rougher and less “engineered”).
This is one of the nicest sections of the Wilkies Pools and Dawson Falls Loop, as the trail follows a tributary of Kapuni Stream, passing several small cascades as it descends through the kamahi forest.
After about 0.5km the junction with the Ridge Loop Track is reached; for the short (1.9km) loop, continue along the Wilkies Pool Loop Track which crosses the Kapuni Stream before re-joining the engineered boardwalk back to the carpark. A more interesting option is to to take the Ridge Loop Track, which climbs steeply for a short distance up to a ridge between two rivers.
The track soon reaches another junction, where you can take the Ridge Loop Track north towards The Plateau and the Waingongoro Track, or continue straight ahead (south) back to Dawsons Falls carpark, which is the longer loop that I’m doing.
The Ridge Loop Track is another picturesque section of the hike, and an easy walk with the track descending gently (after the short, initial climb).
The trail crosses the Kapuni Stream over a timber bridge, which offers a great aerial view of the water cascading through a narrow gorge, before it meets the Kapuni Loop Track.
Soon after the bridge, the Kapuni Loop Track reaches the first of two vantage points to see Dawson Falls.
A steep set of timbers steps drops down to Kapuni Stream and the base of the waterfall.
Dawson Falls has a drop of 18m, with the river plunging into a shallow pool just above a smaller cascade. It’s an impressive waterfall – and would be even more spectacular in Spring when snowmelt means a much bigger volume of water.
Just after the top of the steps is another vantage point over the waterfall, before the Kapuni Loop Track reaches Manaia Road. You could continue along the Kapuni Loop Track, or just walk up the wide shoulder of the road.
The benefit of walking along the road is that a (very) short detour takes you to the Dawson Falls Power Station: it’s the oldest generator in continuous operation in New Zealand and amongst the oldest in the world. The generator was built by the General Electric Company in New York around 1899-1901, and was installed on the Kapuni River in 1935 the power station to service tourist accommodation at Dawson Falls.
From here it’s just a few minutes up the road to the main carpark to complete the loop .
0.0km Start of Wilkies Pool Loop Track (Dawson Falls)
0.5km Junction with return loop track
1.2km Wilkies Pools
1.7km Junction with Ridge Loop Track
1.9km Ridge Loop Track junction
2.8km Kapuni Loop Track
3.2km Dawson Falls
3.5km Manaia Road
3.9km Dawson Falls Power Station
4.1km Carpark
Getting to the Wilkies Pools and Dawson Falls Loop
Mount Taranaki and Egmont National Park are on the western side of the North Island, roughly mid-way between Auckland and Wellington. Dawson Falls is about 325km (4:15min drive) from Wellington and 410km (5.5 hours) from Auckland. The Wilkies Pools and Dawson Falls Loop is well signposted from the carpark, and one of the more popular tramps from here.
The closest town with food and accommodation (a basic hotel) from this Mount Taranaki trailhead is Kaponga, which is a 20min drive. A little further away is Stratford, which has a number of restaurants and many more accommodation options.
More information
- Department of Conservation (DOC) – Dawson Falls Power Station
- Engineering New Zealand – Dawson Falls Hydro-electric Power Scheme
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