DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
An easy 10 minutes each way 250m walk through gorgeous mossy forest to an 18 metre high waterfall.
Map Data: Google, Digital Globe, Department of Conservation (DOC).

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
The walk begins here - 400 metres down the road below the Dawson Falls Visitors Centre.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
Immediately after we start the walk, we are surrounded by beautiful native bush.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
Turn right at this point.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
These steps lead down to the base of the Dawson Falls.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
View of Dawson falls from part way down the side track. From here we can hear the constant clatter of rocks going over the waterfall and falling on the pile of rocks below.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
So imagine our surprise to find someone standing under the waterfall. He said, "The rocks were coming down in the other waterfall..." Dawson Falls is 18 meteres high. Its Maori name is Rere-a-Noke - named after a warrior who hid behind the falls to escape from his enemies.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
After we've climbed back up the steps, we come to this intersection. The track behind us in this photo leads back to the road - but we will take the path to the right and take a look at the falls from the viewpoint.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
The view from the viewpoint isn't quite as spectacular as the other views we get from lower down. Dawson Falls was named after Thomas Dawson, the first European to discover this waterfall in 1885.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
Here we turn left and head back up to the road.

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park

DAWSON FALLS WATERFALL - Egmont National Park
Back at the road. The parking area here is absolutely tiny.