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Hiking

Roaring Billy Falls: an easy forest walk beside the Haast River

ReGear

Plan Roaring Billy Falls: about 1 km return through lush forest, a riverbank viewpoint, road access, toilet stops and clear aerial route maps.

Roaring Billy Falls cascading over boulders beyond the Haast River.

Roaring Billy combines a gentle forest walk with a waterfall view across the Haast River. The trees and ferns are a large part of the appeal, so leave time to look up as well as ahead.

Quick facts

  • About 1 km return; allow around 25–30 minutes plus stops.
  • Gentle forest track to a riverbank viewpoint.
  • DOC describes the formed walk to the viewpoint as wheelchair and buggy accessible.
  • No dogs.

Getting to the start

The signed SH6 car park is about 30 km south of Haast township. Toilets are at Pleasant Flat Campsite, about 20 km farther south, or Haast Junction, about 30 km north. Carry your own drinking water.

Location and route maps

Roaring Billy Falls location relative to Haast on real aerial imagery, with north up.
Roaring Billy Falls mapped walking track highlighted orange on real aerial imagery, with its entrance marked and north up.

DOC track information and official map.

The walk, step by step

  1. Take the fern-lined track through native forest.
  2. Continue to the viewpoint at the top of the riverbank.
  3. Look across the river to the falls cascading over boulders.
  4. Return along the same track.

Effort and conditions

The viewpoint is the natural turnaround. Leaving the formed track for the gravel riverbed adds uneven ground and proximity to moving water; it is unnecessary for seeing the falls.

What I would bring

I would take a light waterproof layer and grippy footwear, with water and insect repellent available. Keep a warm layer dry for the drive or a longer stop.

Planning your return

Check DOC notices before setting out. Build this into the driving day without rushing the last stretch back, and keep everyone together around the car park and river edge.

More walks to compare

Sources and photo credits

Sources checked 4 October 2026.

Maps: LINZ Basemaps and imagery contributors, CC BY 4.0. Track geometry: Crown copyright, Department of Conservation, DOC Tracks dataset, CC BY 4.0. Location labels and route highlights added.

Photo: Roaring_Billy_Falls_MRD_04_(cropped).jpg — Mike Dickison. CC BY 4.0. Resized for display.