A SHORT HIKE FOR A HUGE REWARD
10 DECEMBER 2023
Incredible Views That Start Immediately!
Arthurs Pass is one of the most popular spots in the South Island for travellers exploring this beautiful land. It borders the West Coast and Canterbury Regions in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand and it's easy to see where each region starts and finishes. On the West Coast side, you have mountains and hills covered in trees and on the Canterbury side you have grass and rocks covering them, but on both sides there are clear blue rivers, powerful waterfalls and cheeky kea!
Every single chance we get, we drive through Arthurs Pass from one area to the next as it's an incredibly beautiful place that is barely touched, aside from the odd village here and there. Our favourite time of year to travel through the pass is in early spring when there is lots of snow on the mountains (and the possibility of it snowing when we're there!) and it's an ideal temperature to do some exploring.
The Devils Punchbowl Waterfall track was high on our list of walks to do in Arthurs Pass National Park and we chose a fine day to take a road trip from Hokitika to Arthurs Pass Village to do the walk. We went on a long weekend which meant it was suuuper busy, but getting a carpark at the trailhead wasn't an issue as it is such a big carpark.
Before we hit the trail, we used the bathrooms at the train station in Arthurs Pass Village (which was less than 1 minute down the road from the carpark) and we saw a few cheeky kea going from car to car to see what food they could scavenge. It's hard not to feed the parrots as they are such beautiful birds but unfortunately everyone feeds them so they end up hanging around and they actually destroy people's cars! We had a couple land on our cars along the Milford Road in Southland, while we were heading out to do the increeedible cruise at Milford Sound (a MUST do when you're in New Zealand!) and they seemed more curious than wanting to rip the rubber off our car - phew! It's a high possibility that you'll see them in Arthurs Pass Village and it's a highlight that draws many visitors to the area.
The first part of the track is flat, with loose stones on the path, and the views start immediately! One of my favourite parts of the track is where we could see right across to the waterfall, with the blue Bealy River right in front us and the dark green beech forest surrounding the area. It was a sight for sore eyes and even from that distance you could see how powerful the waterfall was.
Every single chance we get, we drive through Arthurs Pass from one area to the next as it's an incredibly beautiful place that is barely touched, aside from the odd village here and there. Our favourite time of year to travel through the pass is in early spring when there is lots of snow on the mountains (and the possibility of it snowing when we're there!) and it's an ideal temperature to do some exploring.
The Devils Punchbowl Waterfall track was high on our list of walks to do in Arthurs Pass National Park and we chose a fine day to take a road trip from Hokitika to Arthurs Pass Village to do the walk. We went on a long weekend which meant it was suuuper busy, but getting a carpark at the trailhead wasn't an issue as it is such a big carpark.
Before we hit the trail, we used the bathrooms at the train station in Arthurs Pass Village (which was less than 1 minute down the road from the carpark) and we saw a few cheeky kea going from car to car to see what food they could scavenge. It's hard not to feed the parrots as they are such beautiful birds but unfortunately everyone feeds them so they end up hanging around and they actually destroy people's cars! We had a couple land on our cars along the Milford Road in Southland, while we were heading out to do the increeedible cruise at Milford Sound (a MUST do when you're in New Zealand!) and they seemed more curious than wanting to rip the rubber off our car - phew! It's a high possibility that you'll see them in Arthurs Pass Village and it's a highlight that draws many visitors to the area.
The first part of the track is flat, with loose stones on the path, and the views start immediately! One of my favourite parts of the track is where we could see right across to the waterfall, with the blue Bealy River right in front us and the dark green beech forest surrounding the area. It was a sight for sore eyes and even from that distance you could see how powerful the waterfall was.
Can you spot the kea?
A typical Arthurs Pass hut beside the carpark
Do You Want To See A Kiwi?
The track takes around an hour return and is 2km through native beech forest, which is home to fantails, tomtits, cute little mice (which we saw hurrying along into the forest as we got closer) and even kiwi which you may see or hear during a twilight walk. We loved the green patches of moss scattered through the forest because magical mossy forests are our favourite!
We caught glimpses of snow peaked mountains through the trees at certain points along the way and we could have spent all day looking down into the clear blue water below the bridges. It was tempting to get in but temps were still very low considering there was snow in the village the day before!
As I mentioned earlier, the track was super busy due to it being a long weekend (and amazing weather) but it didn't feel overcrowded, not even at the viewing platform at the end where the waterfall was as people didn't stay too long. We went up and down many stairs (I lost count) and the trees were perfect for shade as we worked up quite a sweat from going up and down them!
We caught glimpses of snow peaked mountains through the trees at certain points along the way and we could have spent all day looking down into the clear blue water below the bridges. It was tempting to get in but temps were still very low considering there was snow in the village the day before!
As I mentioned earlier, the track was super busy due to it being a long weekend (and amazing weather) but it didn't feel overcrowded, not even at the viewing platform at the end where the waterfall was as people didn't stay too long. We went up and down many stairs (I lost count) and the trees were perfect for shade as we worked up quite a sweat from going up and down them!
Sienna spotted this cute padlock on the fence of one of the bridges
The Reason We Went on This Hike
The Devils Punchbowl Falls stand at an impressive 131 metres and on a windy day you'll not only see the power behind it, but you'll be constantly reminded of it as you will be absolutely soaked on the viewing platform!
I loved the way the waterfall was framed by its surroundings - there's something impressive about not seeing the base of a waterfall... I can't explain it, but it was the same at the McLean Falls we hiked to in Otago where we weren't able to see the base of the top waterfall and it looked so impressive!
The viewing platform can fit quite a few people on it and there was enough space for me to set my tripod up to take some shots. I wasn't able to take any long exposure shots as the sun was on the waterfall so the photos were looking too blown out (this is why most photographers go to these places at sunrise and sunset) although I was still able to capture its beauty and raw power, between wiping the camera lense free of waterfall droplets!
Apart from the light (or heavy) spray most people encounter on the platform, it's a peaceful place to chill out before heading back to the carpark. There are no benchseats available but plenty of room to sit down take in the view.
I loved the way the waterfall was framed by its surroundings - there's something impressive about not seeing the base of a waterfall... I can't explain it, but it was the same at the McLean Falls we hiked to in Otago where we weren't able to see the base of the top waterfall and it looked so impressive!
The viewing platform can fit quite a few people on it and there was enough space for me to set my tripod up to take some shots. I wasn't able to take any long exposure shots as the sun was on the waterfall so the photos were looking too blown out (this is why most photographers go to these places at sunrise and sunset) although I was still able to capture its beauty and raw power, between wiping the camera lense free of waterfall droplets!
Apart from the light (or heavy) spray most people encounter on the platform, it's a peaceful place to chill out before heading back to the carpark. There are no benchseats available but plenty of room to sit down take in the view.
Know Before You Go
- The track takes 1 hour return and it's 2km long
- There are lots of stairs on this track
- No doggies allowed in the Arthurs Pass National Park
- There are a couple of areas along the track that drop off, so young kids will need to be watched
- There's a good chance you'll see or hear a kiwi if you do a twilight walk here
How To Get To The Devils Punchbowl Track In Arthurs Pass
The track starts at the northern end of Arthur's Pass village, on State Highway 73. There are signs on the highway for the carpark.
Conclusion
If there is one walk you have to do in the Arthurs Pass National park, then we highly recommend the Devils Punchbowl track as it's only an hour through a beautiful beech forest and the waterfall is absolutely stunning - it's hard to fathom the size and power of it, it's one you need to see with your own eyes! The rivers running below the bridges are crystal clear and if you can do this track on a clear day then we have no doubts you won't be disappointed!
Gallery of the Devils Punchbowl Walking Track
Check out the rest of the awesomeness that didn't make it to the main blog but deserves to be shown.
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