Quick Facts
Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 98′ / 30 m
Length of Hike: 0.4 miles / 0.65 km round-trip
The Record
While the South Island usually steals the spotlight with its towering waterfalls, New Zealand’s North Island holds a few of its own. One is Marokopa Falls. It may lack the vertical height of its southern cousins, but what it lacks in altitude, it more than makes up for in sheer scale. It is a massive, thundering curtain of water that feels more like a “wall” than a stream. If you’re the type of traveler who thinks height is the only metric for beauty, Marokopa will happily prove you wrong.
Getting there can be its own adventure, especially if you opt for the “scenic” route. I found myself navigating some isolated dirt roads to bridge the gap between Marokopa and the nearby Bridal Veil Falls. While there is a more conventional, “easier” way to access the site, taking the rugged path is the best way to link these two landmarks, even if it feels a bit more distant behind the wheel. Once you finally pull into the parking lot, the walk to the viewpoint is refreshingly short and accessible.
Once you reach the viewpoint, you might be tempted to scramble down to the base for that perfect photo. However, nature has a way of humbling you. On my visit, the path down was one of the muddiest descents I’ve encountered…less of a trail and more of a slippery slide. I decided against hiking to the base, not out of fear, but because I have a limit on how much “nature” I want to wear home! Besides, the spray is intense enough that even from hundreds of feet away, you’ll feel the power of the falls.
Directions
- From NZ-3, head west on Waitomo Caves Rd (aka NZ-37).
- NZ-37 turns into Te Anga Road after going through a roundabout a short distance from the Waitomo Caves.
- Head some distance further to the parking area for the falls, which will be on your left. Along the way, you will have passed some other interesting points, including the Mangapohue Natural Bridge.
Waterfall Record 
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