Te Waihou Walkway
The Blue Spring at Te Waihou Walkway is internationally acclaimed with water so pure it supplies around 60% of New Zealand’s bottled water.
The spring is fed from the Mamaku Plateau where the water takes up to 100 years to filter through; the resulting water is so pure and clean that it produces a beautiful blue colour while being virtually clear.
The walk to the springs follows a track alongside the Waihou River, through wetlands, across rolling pastoral land, and features views of small waterfalls, native bush, and the famous Blue Spring with glimpses of trout along the way.
Water from the Blue Spring flows at a rate of 42 cubic metres per minute and could fill a 6 lane (25 metre) swimming pool in around 12 minutes. The water temperature is a constant 11 degrees Celsius throughout the year.
The Blue Spring walk takes about one and a half hours each way, starting from Whites Road (State Highway 28), near Putaruru. There is also a shorter walk, 15 minutes each way, to the Blue Spring, accessed from nearby Leslie Road.
The Te Waihou Walkway and Blue Spring is located in South Waikato near Putaruru. With plenty to see and do in the South Waikato area, you can easily make a day of it. Enjoy some local cheese at Over the Moon Dairy Company, take your bike and try out the Waikato River Trails, or do a spot of fly fishing in one of the many great waterways in the area.
Boutique galleries and gift stores are plentiful in Tirau while Tokoroa, a little further south, celebrates its forestry heritage with the carved Talking Poles and NZ Timber Museum.
Time: 1 hr 30 min one way – 3 hr return when walking from the Whites Road carpark. A much shorter option is from the Leslie Road carpark.
Distance: 4.7km one way plus 0.5km loop track
Track conditions: The walkway ranges from easy walking to a few steeper areas with some stiles and steps and boardwalks through wetland areas.
Getting there: The walkway is situated off Whites Road, with upstream access from Leslie Road, Putaruru. The downstream entrance is just past Leslie Road, and the Blue Spring end is 3.6km along Leslie Road.
The most scenic route is to walk to the halfway point, take the loop track then return the way you came. The best access for this option is via the Leslie Road carpark.
Please Note: There is currently no shuttle service available from the Putaruru iSITE to the Blue Spring Walkway. We recommend organising your own transport.
More info: www.southwaikato.govt.nz
Please Note: Many of the walking trails in the Waikato region do not allow dogs. Hamilton & Waikato Tourism recommends checking with the Department of Conservation before taking your dog on any of the trails in the region.
Source: Hamilton and Waikato Tourism
