Waitaha River Hot Springs

Waitaha River Hot Springs
West Coast
Waitaha River
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Description

Please Note: The start of both North and South bank routes to the hot pool cross private property. You will need to seek permission from the land owner before visiting. Contact details will be listed below if they are available.
Sadly we don’t have a decent description for this hotpool. Can you write one? [andrew buglass , Ruatapu/ NZ]

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Directions

This hot spring was in the Morgan Gorge on the True Left. Approx grid reference on the NZTM 2000 maps is E1415560, N5222293. You access it from the Kiwi Flat track by walking down Anson Stream [anon]/n

End of Allen Road near Ross.Get permission from land owner if crossing the small bit of farm to get to the kiwi flat track he gets real mad if you don't - we found out - we had tried to get to ivory lake. (Yelling, threating, he even wrote f**% off in sticks on the ground...)/n

UPDATE NOV 2012: New track / markers to head of Morgan's Gorge cut by DOC recently. Hotpools at bottom end of gorge on true LEFT of river, must swim across big calm pool where gorge track (true right) begins to climb into bush. 1/4km upstream on river L, up creek 100m to small track going upstream, take 3rd creek/slip with small trail to lip of gorge. climb down carefully! HOT but nice [Justin Venable, Hokitika]

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Interactive Map
Map showing location of Waitaha River Hot Springs . Use the controls on the map to zoom in and out.
Bather Reviews
11
NEW track / markers to head of Morgan's Gorge cut by DOC recently. Hotpools at bottom end of gorge on true LEFT of river, must swim across big calm pool where gorge track (true right) begins to climb into bush. 1/4km upstream on river L, up creek 100m to small track going upstream, take 3rd creek/slip with small trail to lip of gorge. climb down carefully! HOT but nice
Rating: -/10
justin venable - hokitika
22th November 2012
10
Neil I've been back into the Waitaha once since my last post & also chatted with one of the more regular visitors. It seems the area got heavily modified by a flood approx early 2010 hence post number 2. by kristen saying the pool had been washed out. My post of 22/3/12 was thus old news but new to me as it was my first visit since the changes. Lots of additional rock came from somewhere & modified the site. At least a bath sized pool can still be made & the hot water sources are still there!
Rating: -/10
Trevor Kaniere - Westland/NZ
17th September 2012
9
Yes we had to climb down to get to the hot springs. Its not to bad but it would be tough if the rock was wet (im sure this area doesnt get to much rain!). The hotpool had been created by visiters who had dammed up the small pool in the pic.. I wish I visited the older larger pool before it disapaired.
Rating: -/10
Neil Silverwood -
16th June 2012
8
Neil the bathing spot in your photo is different to a more accessible & larger one that used to be there. Did you free climb down to that spot? I did say the hot water sources were still there but I didn't see anything bigger than a small shallow accumulation of hot water on a small ledge. I was there less than a month ago. Will go back again when the river is low.
Rating: -/10
Trevor Kaniere - NZ
16th April 2012
7
I was there a month ago. We climbed down to the pool. It's large enough for one but two would be a squeese! I cant imagine that it has dissapeared since then.
Rating: 5/10
Neil -
08th April 2012
6
The good news is that the hot water springs are still there. The bad news is that the hot pool that was a water worn depression in solid rock has gone and there are now no useable hot pools. Hundreds of tons of rock bench have gone down the gorge. At least three boiling water sources now gush/bubble from the base of a rock face on to a narrow rock ledge. The ledge is only a couple of metres wide. You would require rock climbing gear to safely get down to the hot water sources. The location is above Glamour Glen and downstream of Anson Stream. GPS co-ordinates are E1415226 N5222438 (The socks etc hanging in the tree have been there a long time as I recall gear left there several years back when the pool was still there!)
Rating: -/10
Trevor Kaniere - NZ
22th March 2012
5
Update from Permolat as of Sept, 2011: we followed the original NZFS line from the old farm trail on the terrace up to Douglas Creek. The first part of the farm track is now obliterated by gravel flowing through the trees. The shingle fan is obviously still on the move. John Hutt & Neil Bradley who gave the track to Kiwi Flat track the trim and got permission on our behalf from P.D. Farms (thanks Guys!), chose to mark the route you mentioned along the TL of the Waitaha and then up an old farm road on the NE corner of the farm.Folk have the choice of either route. The hot pools in the Morgan Gorge are still there. Someone has been using it recently judging by some gear that has been left down there. The little creek that provides access down from the track and the next gully around (both of which are before Anson Creek) have both blown out again, and are still unstable and on the move.
Rating: -/10
Honora Renwick - Christchurch, New Zealand
13th September 2011
4
Permolat are looking at this access issue and are hoping to get the Walking Access Commission involved for advocacy. DoC (Ted Brennan) is also aware of issues. In the meantime, Evans Pass might be an option and one hardy stalwart went in via the north bank and crossed over! Not usually possible, I suspect.
Rating: -/10
Honora Renwick - Christchurch, New Zealand
22th June 2011
3
This spring site is not on private property! One shortcut in can involve crossing private property though if you use the farm track at the end of the Council Road on the south bank (TL) of the Waitaha R. Merv Fleming ph 03 7557570 was leasing this land from PD holdings Ltd. You can still get up the river without crossing the freehold land but it is not as convenient.
Rating: -/10
Trevor Kaniere - Kehutahi NZ
02th March 2011
2
this hotpool has been washed out, it is no longer there
Rating: -/10
kristen - new zealand
17th February 2010
1
Anyone know where this is? and who the landowner is?
Rating: -/10
-
15th November 2007

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Photos
Neil Silverwood Photography
Source:
Trevor Kaniere
Source: Showing Morgan Gorge where the pool in solid rock used to be on a bench at the bottom right of the picture, which has since dropped away into the gorge below