Oparara Basin short walks
Track category
Short walk
Description
Mirror Tarn
Time: 30 min
A short distance along the road past the arches car park, a sign points along a bush track toward this secretive spot.
A pool full of dark water reflects tall trees and rich birdsong fills the air. Here you are called on to joyfully reflect on the foresight of a local bushman who noted the rimu trees around the tarn had been tagged for felling and his successful argument to have the beauty preserved.
Crazy Paving Cave
Time: 10 min
From the car park three kilometres beyond the arch tracks, take a torch and follow a short bush track to the cave entrance. Be extra careful not to step off the track and not to step on any of the large spiders that live in the cave. Take a look at the ceiling - another example of nature's art.
Box Canyon Cave
Time: 10 min
At the end of the main track, carefully descend the steps to the cave. Explore its blocky recesses in complete freedom and take a hard look at the ceiling for fossils - look but don't touch.
Getting there
An old forestry road provides access for walkers, cavers and other nature lovers to the Oparara Basin. The road branches inland approximately nine kilometres north of Karamea on the road to Kohaihai. It is a further 12 km to the arches car park and another three kilometres to the caves car park
Plan and prepare
Safety is your responsibility
Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoor Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand's search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details of your trip.