Lower Kaimai: Nature and outdoor experiences at McLaren Falls Park

McLaren Falls Park covers 190 hectares of parkland and is located beside Lake McLaren. Water, trails and activities shape the visit: you can combine a walk to the waterfall with experiences by the lake or sporting activities. When choosing a holiday rental or holiday home in Lower Kaimai, a helpful question is which of these aspects of your stay you would like to focus on.

Trails, waterfall and StoryWalk

The Waterfall Track leads to a waterfall on a short, easy walk. Along the track, you can see glow-worms after dark. Part of the track is suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters; this suitability applies to the section described and not automatically to the entire track.

Another experience is the McLaren Falls StoryWalk®: Tauranga’s first permanent StoryWalk is designed as an interactive family experience along a walking track. It starts near the Waterfall Track car park and follows a wide, flat gravel path. This means that the walk is about more than just the track and its surroundings—the interactive story is part of it too. If you’re travelling with children, this can be an activity in its own right, while the Waterfall Track offers a different walking destination, with its waterfall.

Activities around the park and lake

Those looking for exercise and fun can find an 18-basket disc golf course in the park. The equestrian area covers 13 hectares of terrain for cross-country riding. Four horse yards are available to day visitors and groups staying overnight at the hostel. The equestrian area is accessed via Lower Maungapapa Road, which branches off McLaren Falls Road.

Bottom Flat has a picnic area where kayakers and other lake users can launch their boats. Fishing is possible in Lake McLaren year-round; you’ll need a fishing licence. For visitors who would rather encounter animals, Marshalls Animal Park is another option: it is home to domestic and exotic animals and can be reached via McLaren Falls Park.

Poripori also offers a different way to enjoy the water. The area gets sunshine throughout the day, making the fresh water relatively warm. However, water levels at the Poripori swimming hole can rise significantly and quickly due to releases from McLaren Falls Dam. If you’re planning a river activity, you may be interested in Riverbug’s Bug-Sunday tour: it runs through the lower gorge of the Wairoa River, featuring rapids and a surf section on the Wairoa Wave. The tour meets on Sunday mornings near the Poripori Water Holes; participants then paddle and walk upstream to the starting point.

Which accommodation suits your stay?

The park offers hostel accommodation and camping for tents, caravans and motorhomes at four sites. These options differ from a holiday rental or holiday home; they show that an overnight stay in the park can also be combined with staying at the hostel or a campground. If you’re looking for a holiday rental or holiday home, first consider whether walks and the waterfall, activities on the lake, horse riding or the river tour will shape your stay.

Discover other places

For more holiday research, you can also explore Pukehina, Papamoa, Te Puke, Whakamarama, Paengaroa, Te Puna, Pyes Pa and Katikati.

For the broader travel overview: Western Bay of Plenty District.