Mangapohue Natural Bridge Walk
Waitomo
Your Nature Guide
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Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
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Photos
Information
Mangapohue Natural Bridge Walk
700 m return | 20 minutes return
Mangapohue Natural Bridge is a highlight on the scenic drive from Waitomo Village to Marokopa. The 5 minute track to the left is pushchair-friendly and follows a boardwalk through an impressive limestone gorge that brings you underneath a natural bridge.
Walking Track
Access
Mangapohue Natural Bridge Scenic Reserve is signposted on the right, 24 km west of Waitomo Caves. There’s a large parking area with picnic tables and toilets just over the bridge.
Track
The first section to the twin bridge is flat and board walked with a bridge over the Mangapohue Stream. The gorge is impressive with wheelchair access to the lower viewing platform. From here there are steps to upper viewing platform.
Continuing, you cross a stile into farmland. It can be muddy and slippery as you pass limestone outcrops with fossilised oyster shells. Another stile leads back to the main track to complete the loop.
Geology
Most limestone in the area was deposted during the Oligocene geological period around 34-23 million years ago. Calcareous sandstones and mudstones were deposited in warmer climates and higher latitudes, eventually being compressed to form the karst limestones of today.
On the ceiling are these weird bio stalactites. Unlike usual hard calcareous non-biological deposits, these have been formed by mosses and algae feeding off the calcium rich waters, depositing the excess precipitate as they grown. They are known as epitrophic speleothems.
The fossilised oysters after the bridge are around 35 million years old and reached sizes of nearly a foot long! Would likely have been like eating your car tyre with a bit of salt.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC WaikatoCentral government organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Waitomo |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Walking
Nearby
Reviews
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4.0/5
Actual bridge collapsed so we couldn’t walk the loop, but the short walk into the “cave” was beautiful, as well as the road from Waitomo Caves towards it.
Well worth the drive!
A![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(166,212,250)" /><path d="m 150 689 Q 242 58 -389 150 Q 242 242 150 -389 Q 58 242 689 150 Q 58 58 150 689 z" fill="rgb(195,232,93)" /><path d="m 150 515 Q 166 134 -215 150 Q 166 166 150 -215 Q 134 166 515 150 Q 134 134 150 515 z" fill="rgb(60,23,162)" /><path d="m 150 108 Q 178 122 192 150 Q 178 178 150 192 Q 122 178 108 150 Q 122 122 150 108 z" fill="rgb(89,43,5)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
20Sept18.
Brill little walk. Not sure if we saw oysters, prob didn’t know what to look for.
MF![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(95,55,203)" /><path d="m 150 733 Q 149 151 -433 150 Q 149 149 150 -433 Q 151 149 733 150 Q 151 151 150 733 z" fill="rgb(241,212,123)" /><path d="m 150 530 Q 255 45 -230 150 Q 255 255 150 -230 Q 45 255 530 150 Q 45 45 150 530 z" fill="rgb(14,43,132)" /><path d="m 150 207 Q 244 56 93 150 Q 244 244 150 93 Q 56 244 207 150 Q 56 56 150 207 z" fill="rgb(160,200,52)" /></svg>)
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4.0/5
FREE.
One of the few non-commercialised attractions in Waitomo area. 5 min boardwalk to stunning cavern, parking will be limited in warmer months. Rotten long drop, avoid. 20 min round trip to fossil rock if you can be bothered with soggy field. There also exists a free glow worm cave (Piripiri) a couple km drive west before falls.
CB![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(12,156,231)" /><path d="m 150 507 Q 206 94 -207 150 Q 206 206 150 -207 Q 94 206 507 150 Q 94 94 150 507 z" fill="rgb(28,143,141)" /><path d="m 150 461 Q 224 76 -161 150 Q 224 224 150 -161 Q 76 224 461 150 Q 76 76 150 461 z" fill="rgb(227,112,114)" /><path d="m 150 212 Q 204 96 88 150 Q 204 204 150 88 Q 96 204 212 150 Q 96 96 150 212 z" fill="rgb(243,99,24)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
Natural bridge, once a cave, beautiful in the day or night, plenty of glowworms - magical.
H![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(248,195,6)" /><path d="m 150 659 Q 64 236 -359 150 Q 64 64 150 -359 Q 236 64 659 150 Q 236 236 150 659 z" fill="rgb(42,25,132)" /><path d="m 150 353 Q 197 103 -53 150 Q 197 197 150 -53 Q 103 197 353 150 Q 103 103 150 353 z" fill="rgb(213,230,123)" /><path d="m 150 146 Q 165 135 154 150 Q 165 165 150 154 Q 135 165 146 150 Q 135 135 150 146 z" fill="rgb(7,60,249)" /></svg>)
-
4.0/5
Not what we expected - way bigger and pretty awesome!
Go along the whole track, the stones outside are great as well. Only thing, that there are a lot of signs in front of the views.
-
5.0/5
Beautiful natural bridge/limestone gorge with an arch.
One of my favourite spots. A short bush walk (well maintained track) takes you to this impressive formation - jaw dropping.
-
5.0/5
A very short walk to see a natural bridge.
We walked it during the day and then came back at night to see the walks and ceiling covered in glowworms. No one else around and for free!
-
-
4.0/5
The natural bridge is interesting.
The walk and the landscape view are very peaceful.
LJ![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(213,126,236)" /><path d="m 150 640 Q 220 80 -340 150 Q 220 220 150 -340 Q 80 220 640 150 Q 80 80 150 640 z" fill="rgb(150,17,20)" /><path d="m 150 428 Q 252 48 -128 150 Q 252 252 150 -128 Q 48 252 428 150 Q 48 48 150 428 z" fill="rgb(105,238,235)" /><path d="m 150 107 Q 191 109 193 150 Q 191 191 150 193 Q 109 191 107 150 Q 109 109 150 107 z" fill="rgb(42,129,19)" /></svg>)
-
4.5/5
Another nice short walk to a real natural wonder.
Only 30 minutes and good to combine with the waterfall and the glowworm cave.
-
5.0/5
This was impressive and it is well worth stopping off to visit.
An easy walk from the carpark, and a great opportunity for photos. Best of all, there were no crowds - we only saw one other group of 4 that were leaving when we got there.
WB![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(124,237,248)" /><path d="m 150 500 Q 180 120 -200 150 Q 180 180 150 -200 Q 120 180 500 150 Q 120 120 150 500 z" fill="rgb(102,79,214)" /><path d="m 150 538 Q 216 84 -238 150 Q 216 216 150 -238 Q 84 216 538 150 Q 84 84 150 538 z" fill="rgb(153,176,41)" /><path d="m 150 148 Q 148 152 152 150 Q 148 148 150 152 Q 152 148 148 150 Q 152 152 150 148 z" fill="rgb(131,18,7)" /></svg>)
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-
5.0/5
We had a great experience on this walk -- the rock formations are unique to this corner of the country, and since this landscape used to be underwater, you can see shells and marine fossils along the trail
(they're marked, because you'd not likely find them on your own).
je![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(43,163,23)" /><path d="m 150 692 Q 123 177 -392 150 Q 123 123 150 -392 Q 177 123 692 150 Q 177 177 150 692 z" fill="rgb(123,219,85)" /><path d="m 150 499 Q 257 43 -199 150 Q 257 257 150 -199 Q 43 257 499 150 Q 43 43 150 499 z" fill="rgb(132,36,170)" /><path d="m 150 234 Q 80 220 66 150 Q 80 80 150 66 Q 220 80 234 150 Q 220 220 150 234 z" fill="rgb(212,92,232)" /></svg>)
-
5.0/5
This was impressive.
The bush walk to the feature is beautiful and is wheelchair accessible. Once there, standing beneath this great slab of overhanging limestone, good DOC standard wooden staircase takes you higher up to a lookout, then a rougher and, muddy on our visit, track loops back to the start. There's a good long-drop toilet and picnic tables near the carpark. Impressive, accessible and FREE - an unconditional 10/10.
P![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(19,161,32)" /><path d="m 150 662 Q 259 41 -362 150 Q 259 259 150 -362 Q 41 259 662 150 Q 41 41 150 662 z" fill="rgb(11,31,16)" /><path d="m 150 451 Q 91 209 -151 150 Q 91 91 150 -151 Q 209 91 451 150 Q 209 209 150 451 z" fill="rgb(244,224,239)" /><path d="m 150 179 Q 100 200 121 150 Q 100 100 150 121 Q 200 100 179 150 Q 200 200 150 179 z" fill="rgb(236,94,223)" /></svg>)
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![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(199,237,207)" /><path d="m 150 502 Q 154 146 -202 150 Q 154 154 150 -202 Q 146 154 502 150 Q 146 146 150 502 z" fill="rgb(87,190,105)" /><path d="m 150 392 Q 61 239 -92 150 Q 61 61 150 -92 Q 239 61 392 150 Q 239 239 150 392 z" fill="rgb(168,65,150)" /><path d="m 150 306 Q 293 7 -6 150 Q 293 293 150 -6 Q 7 293 306 150 Q 7 7 150 306 z" fill="rgb(56,18,48)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(219,226,95)" /><path d="m 150 645 Q 293 7 -345 150 Q 293 293 150 -345 Q 7 293 645 150 Q 7 7 150 645 z" fill="rgb(222,128,110)" /><path d="m 150 533 Q 149 151 -233 150 Q 149 149 150 -233 Q 151 149 533 150 Q 151 151 150 533 z" fill="rgb(33,127,145)" /><path d="m 150 328 Q 48 252 -28 150 Q 48 48 150 -28 Q 252 48 328 150 Q 252 252 150 328 z" fill="rgb(36,29,160)" /></svg>)
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![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(13,196,246)" /><path d="m 150 704 Q 166 134 -404 150 Q 166 166 150 -404 Q 134 166 704 150 Q 134 134 150 704 z" fill="rgb(210,170,247)" /><path d="m 150 386 Q 293 7 -86 150 Q 293 293 150 -86 Q 7 293 386 150 Q 7 7 150 386 z" fill="rgb(45,85,8)" /><path d="m 150 166 Q 147 153 134 150 Q 147 147 150 134 Q 153 147 166 150 Q 153 153 150 166 z" fill="rgb(242,59,9)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(150,57,219)" /><path d="m 150 695 Q 134 166 -395 150 Q 134 134 150 -395 Q 166 134 695 150 Q 166 166 150 695 z" fill="rgb(0,157,253)" /><path d="m 150 347 Q 83 217 -47 150 Q 83 83 150 -47 Q 217 83 347 150 Q 217 217 150 347 z" fill="rgb(255,98,2)" /><path d="m 150 192 Q 219 81 108 150 Q 219 219 150 108 Q 81 219 192 150 Q 81 81 150 192 z" fill="rgb(105,198,36)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(49,166,220)" /><path d="m 150 515 Q 252 48 -215 150 Q 252 252 150 -215 Q 48 252 515 150 Q 48 48 150 515 z" fill="rgb(129,4,122)" /><path d="m 150 391 Q 280 20 -91 150 Q 280 280 150 -91 Q 20 280 391 150 Q 20 20 150 391 z" fill="rgb(126,251,133)" /><path d="m 150 305 Q 298 2 -5 150 Q 298 298 150 -5 Q 2 298 305 150 Q 2 2 150 305 z" fill="rgb(206,89,35)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(152,234,90)" /><path d="m 150 609 Q 260 40 -309 150 Q 260 260 150 -309 Q 40 260 609 150 Q 40 40 150 609 z" fill="rgb(203,139,119)" /><path d="m 150 377 Q 175 125 -77 150 Q 175 175 150 -77 Q 125 175 377 150 Q 125 125 150 377 z" fill="rgb(52,116,136)" /><path d="m 150 327 Q 93 207 -27 150 Q 93 93 150 -27 Q 207 93 327 150 Q 207 207 150 327 z" fill="rgb(103,21,165)" /></svg>)
-
4.0/5
Actual bridge collapsed so we couldn’t walk the loop, but the short walk into the “cave” was beautiful, as well as the road from Waitomo Caves towards it.
Well worth the drive!
A -
5.0/5
20Sept18.
Brill little walk. Not sure if we saw oysters, prob didn’t know what to look for.
MF -
4.0/5
FREE.
One of the few non-commercialised attractions in Waitomo area. 5 min boardwalk to stunning cavern, parking will be limited in warmer months. Rotten long drop, avoid. 20 min round trip to fossil rock if you can be bothered with soggy field. There also exists a free glow worm cave (Piripiri) a couple km drive west before falls.
CB -
5.0/5
Natural bridge, once a cave, beautiful in the day or night, plenty of glowworms - magical.
H -
4.0/5
Not what we expected - way bigger and pretty awesome!
Go along the whole track, the stones outside are great as well. Only thing, that there are a lot of signs in front of the views.
-
5.0/5
Beautiful natural bridge/limestone gorge with an arch.
One of my favourite spots. A short bush walk (well maintained track) takes you to this impressive formation - jaw dropping.
-
5.0/5
A very short walk to see a natural bridge.
We walked it during the day and then came back at night to see the walks and ceiling covered in glowworms. No one else around and for free!
-
-
4.0/5
The natural bridge is interesting.
The walk and the landscape view are very peaceful.
LJ -
4.5/5
Another nice short walk to a real natural wonder.
Only 30 minutes and good to combine with the waterfall and the glowworm cave.
-
5.0/5
This was impressive and it is well worth stopping off to visit.
An easy walk from the carpark, and a great opportunity for photos. Best of all, there were no crowds - we only saw one other group of 4 that were leaving when we got there.
WB -
-
5.0/5
We had a great experience on this walk -- the rock formations are unique to this corner of the country, and since this landscape used to be underwater, you can see shells and marine fossils along the trail
(they're marked, because you'd not likely find them on your own).
je -
5.0/5
This was impressive.
The bush walk to the feature is beautiful and is wheelchair accessible. Once there, standing beneath this great slab of overhanging limestone, good DOC standard wooden staircase takes you higher up to a lookout, then a rougher and, muddy on our visit, track loops back to the start. There's a good long-drop toilet and picnic tables near the carpark. Impressive, accessible and FREE - an unconditional 10/10.
P -
-
5.0/5
Small walk through a narrow and beautiful gorge to a spectacular natural bridge.
-
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(98,64,71)" /><path d="m 150 631 Q 118 182 -331 150 Q 118 118 150 -331 Q 182 118 631 150 Q 182 182 150 631 z" fill="rgb(141,26,207)" /><path d="m 150 317 Q 215 85 -17 150 Q 215 215 150 -17 Q 85 215 317 150 Q 85 85 150 317 z" fill="rgb(114,229,48)" /><path d="m 150 259 Q 142 158 41 150 Q 142 142 150 41 Q 158 142 259 150 Q 158 158 150 259 z" fill="rgb(157,191,184)" /></svg>)
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