The Te Auheke Track to Cascade Falls is one of the best walks in Rotorua. Entering the incredible mossy forest feels like stepping onto the set of the Lord of the Rings. It has a wild and mysterious vibe and is perfect in any weather. We visited twice on rainy days and the dense canopy shields you from the worst of the elements.
It’s an easy walk and would be worth it for the forest alone, though the waterfalls do make it extra special.
Come back at night and you’ll find one of the best glow worm dells on the North Island. It’s not well known, so there’s a very high chance that you’ll get this dazzling night time display all to yourself, and it doesn’t get more magical than that.
Here’s what to expect at Cascade Falls by day and by night.
The Te Auheke Track to Cascade Falls
The stats
Distance: 1.7km circuit
Elevation gain: 30m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Okataina Outdoor Education & Recreation Trust
Summary: Almost the entire trail is flat, with just one or two tiny undulations and one staircase along the way. The dirt path holds up really well even after rain, and we only encountered one or two muddy patches despite visiting on rainy days.
There is one very short patch where you need to walk over a couple of rocks, but it’s easy enough and wasn’t slippery.
The track is marked with orange triangles which are easy to follow in the day, but you do have to watch a little more carefully for them at night, though there was only one point where we had to stop, having initially missed it.
Starting the trail
As the track is a circuit you can walk it in either direction. We walked clockwise, which is what we’d recommend.
The signpost for the start of the walk is not particularly obvious, it’s 75m from the car park and can be found by walking along the field behind the cabins and looking for the small wooden sign on the left side of the field.
You’ll also hear cascades which helps direct you to the marker. From here you will begin following the small orange triangles pinned to the trees.
From the moment you step into the forest you know it’s going to be special. The forest is so dense that you are completely sheltered from the elements and on a gloomy day it has a wonderful mysterious air.
The stream beside the beginning of the path is crystal clear and you’ll pass over a small wooden bridge before continuing right, along the dirt track deeper into the forest.
To the first cascades
Though the flat dirt path is sometimes covered in leaf litter it was never slippery and it’s an easy stroll past towering tree ferns and branches dripping in moss.
I had no idea Rotorua had such a mystical forest walk and we’d done many trails there by this point. Just 575m after leaving the car park you’ll arrive at the first cascades.
Whilst it’s not much of a waterfall the huge moss covered cliff wall makes it very atmospheric.
From here the dirt path continues and heads over a small bridge, arriving at a junction 80m later. Cascade Falls is signposted and you’ll head left over a few small rocks.
The dirt track does narrow here and becomes more uneven, but it’s not difficult, you just have to watch your footing. The falls are just a couple of minutes from the junction.
Cascade Falls
Cascade Falls is like something out of Jurassic Park. The entire cliff wall is dripping in foliage and the waterfall, while not especially powerful, is very picturesque.
There are a number of cascades and there can be many more if you visit directly after heavy rain. The base of the falls is rocky, but there’s still plenty of room to stand and look up at the falls from below.
When you’re ready to leave the falls you retrace your steps back to the junction (100m away) and then head left up the staircase.
The path then gently descends before flattening again. You’ll now walk along a stunning path lined with towering tree ferns on either side.
At the 1.3km mark you’ll reach a junction and follow it right, signed for the outdoor centre. You’re now just 150m from the field and 300m from the car park.
Cascade Falls by night
The glow worm experience at Cascade Falls is one of the best we’ve experienced in New Zealand and we’ve experienced a lot! Whilst a cave environment is always the best for glow worm viewing, this is up there with the very best non cave glow worm dells in the country. And nobody talks about it which makes it all the more special. The walk is easy, but as there is some uneven terrain (the odd tree root etc) so you’ll need to watch your footing.
Glow worms can be seen along almost the entire length of the track, but in varying numbers. As you head towards the first cascade (not Cascade Falls) you’ll see them lining the creek banks and nestled in the base of old tree trunks. We saw hundreds before even arriving at the cascade.
Despite this, nothing could prepare us for just how good the cliff wall at the first cascade would be. We visited in winter when glow worm numbers can be lower and we saw thousands lining the cliff top to bottom. The cliff wall bends round so it’s actually like being in a partial glow worm amphitheatre!
The longer you stand with your torch turned off the more you will see. You’ll even see they were lining the path behind you like strings of fairy lights. It’s a truly magical experience.
The very best spot is this first cascade (and just before it) so if you only want to do a short walk you can turn back here which would be 575m each way from the car park.
If you enjoy a good night walk then you can complete the whole loop. There are more glow worms at Cascade Falls itself, but far less than at the first spot. I mean it’s still a great viewing experience but compared to the first spot it’s less spectacular.
The glow worms continue throughout almost all of the second half of the loop track, but in very small numbers, reducing to one or two here or there towards the end. However, the walk is easy so we’d recommend doing the full circuit unless you aren’t a fan of night walking.
Taking care of the glow worms
If you haven’t spent any time at a glow worm colony before, please read the next few lines on etiquette so you don’t inadvertently harm them.
Please don’t shine white light on the glow worms, they don’t like it and will turn their lights out. You’ll see so much less if you keep a light on. Bringing a torch with red light is even better, although still don’t shine it on the glow worms directly.
Also if you’re keen on getting a photo, bring a tripod which will allow you to capture the glow worms without shining a light on them.
Tips for the best glow worm experience
Make sure you leave it at least an hour after sunset. If you’ve been exploring the area by day rather than making a special evening trip, it can be tempting to head into the bush just after sunset, but you really need full darkness to see the majority of the glow worms. You’ll see some earlier but only a fraction of what’s really there. The darker the better, so ideal conditions would be low moonlight too, but it’s hard to get things that perfect when you’re only in the area for a limited amount of time.
As mentioned, you need to turn all light off to enjoy the glow worms, not just for your eyes to adjust but also because you shouldn’t shine light on glow worms. Glow worms are very light sensitive, it can stop them feeding and also encourage them to stop glowing which in turn ruins the experience for you. You will see more and more glow worms the longer you stand in the darkness, leave at least five minutes to really get a sense of how many are there, but the longer the better.
For photography bring a tripod and plan on taking long exposures. You don’t need any light to photograph them. You can also use the long exposure setting on your phone.
Getting to the Te Auheke Cascade Falls Track
The track is located in the Lake Ōkataina Scenic Reserve Scenic Reserve, around a 20 minute drive from Rotorua. The road is sealed the whole way, but is a little windy towards the end. There’s a large gravel car park beside the outdoor education centre cabins.
There are no facilities here whatsoever, including toilets, please plan accordingly.
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