Nov 29, 2025 Wilkies Pools
Another beautiful day in Ohawe, our last full day. We decided to head up to Taranaki Maunga (mountain) for another short hike.
The peak is cloud free this morning!
We reached the Dawson Falls visitor center and started the easy uphill walk on a wide graveled path alongside Kapuni stream. We soon reached Wilkies Pools, named after brothers that farmed in the area until 1881 when a 6 mile radius around the summit was first protected as a forest reserve, becoming NZ’s 2nd National Park in 1900.
The crystal clear, cold water cascading down from the summit has carved a series of plunge pools down the volcanic rock for 20,000 years!
Looking up from the rocks gives a grand view of the summit above treeline. There were a pair of brave young men ‘taking the plunge’ today! Not hot out enough for me though!
We continued our walk back to the Visitors Center on the other side of the stream through the ‘goblin forest’ on a lesser used track. For great video of several slo-mo shots of the falls, click HERE.