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Craters of the Moon

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nmagann
nmagann
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
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4
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22
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Craters of the Moon

  • August 26, 2007
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Guanilo from Mclean, Virginia
Craters of the Moon

This one was suggested to us by a shopkeeper in the area. She said it was very barren, but still interesting. She was right, too.

It's a field of bubbling craters, mud pools, steam vents, and sulfur flats. The temperatures in the bottoms of these opening can reach north of 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and yet plant life adapts and even thrives in the conditions. It's well worth the stop for an hour or so. But, when they tell you to stay on the path, they mean it.

A teenage girl got hurt just before we got there. Apparently, she was playing around with her friends, stepped off the path a ways, and got too close to one of the pools. The ground near the edge of the pit gave way, and she fell into the pool. She was able to scramble out pretty quickly, but still managed to get some pretty nasty burns to her leg (probably 2nd degree, if I was guessing).

The whole thing was pretty cheap; something like $7 (US) per adult.

From journal 2005 Trip to New Zealand

Editor Pick

Craters of the Moon

  • April 28, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by stomps from Houston, Texas
Craters of the Moon

I chose to go to Craters of the Moon on the advice of someone in Rotorua, who said it was well worth the trip and, most importantly, free. I found that not only did it offer the boiling puddles of mud and steaming pools that are seen on all postcards in Rotorua, but it also had some great views of Taupo as well.

When you get to the entrance, there is a small gift shop, where I bought a couple postcards, and a big sign informing you that you must keep to the track. This is definitely a sign not to be taken lightly--I saw areas of land that looked stable, only to have steam belch out of them a few seconds later.

I found the history of this place very interesting. Apparently, in the 1950s, there was only one small fumarole in Craters of the Moon, which has since stopped discharging steam. However, when a power plant came in and began taking in underground water, it not only made the geysers in nearly Thermal Valley stop steaming, but also increased the heat in the remaining water. This caused a marked increase in thermal activity in Craters of the Moon. The Craters area is ever expanding and changing as steam finds new ways to the surface. The difference in the posted pictures of Craters in 1961 and 2001 was astounding.

There are many paths that you can take around Craters of the Moon--as long as you stick to the wooden paths! I chose to go around the valley first, and then up along the ridge at the end. Along the way, there are lots of little side paths you can take, and I would recommend doing so. Many of the paths lead to balconies over giant steam vents or other interesting thermal phenomena. Just make sure that you don't mind the smell of sulfur too much before you do!

One of the coolest things I saw that I hadn't previously seen in Rotorua was the bubbling mud pool. This was pretty much the farthest point in the valley from the entrance, and it probably took me around 30 minutes to get there (although Craters is advertised as a 30-minute walk, I found it enjoyable just to amble around, read all the signs, and take any side path possible, so it took me slightly longer). I found that I stood for way too long just watching the mud gurgle and bubble.

After this, there was a rather steep hike to the top of the ridge (and, if you're not in shape, there's plenty of rest benches supplied along the way). The ridge offered sweeping views to both sides--the much more interesting direction was across Craters, seeing all the steam rising, and over Taupo and the lake to the volcanoes lying beyond.

I definitely recommend this hike--the signs were all extremely informative and I felt like I learned a lot about the area, all while enjoying an afternoon walk!

From journal Crazy, Crazy Taupo

Editor Pick

Craters & Huka Hike

  • April 28, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by stomps from Houston, Texas
Craters & Huka Hike

When I was in Rotorua, I was told to visit Craters of the Moon because it is apparently just as good as any paid thermal area in Rotorua, except it's totally free. My only problem here was getting to it--it's at least a few kilometers to get to Huka Falls, and then it's a good 2km walk after that to get to Craters--since I didn't feel I'd have enough time once I got there and before I had to turn around again. Luckily, I found a friend at my hostel, who drove me up to Craters, so I would only have to hike the very manageable return trip.

After spending at least an hour and a half or more at Craters of the Moon (in a separate review), I set off on my hike towards Huka Falls. The beginning of the hike was obviously not really meant to be one--I had to walk on the edge of the road, or the rubbly shoulder when there was one, for 1.7km. The scenery wasn't exactly interesting, mainly just a road and some wooded area.

Once I managed to get across Highway 1, which was no small feat, the hike got more interesting. There was actually a trail heading to Huka Falls, which made the hike much more enjoyable since I didn't have to worry about a car careening around the corner and mowing me down. It was completely surrounded by overhanging trees, but there were little gaps where you could look out and see the gleaming Waikato below.

It wasn't long before I got to Huka Falls (reviewed separately), and, after spending my time there, I carried on along the hike. This hike was a much more popular one, since it is advertised as one of the best ways to see Huka from Taupo. The walk was actually the last section of a 2-hour return walk that begins long before Huka Falls--I didn't get to do that walk because it would have been entirely too late by the time I returned.

This part of the walk was very enjoyable, not being too difficult at all, since there were only a few small uphill climbs. It ran along the Waikato all the way back to the turnoff to go into Taupo itself. It was advertised as being 30 minutes from Huka-Taupo, but it took me much longer because I took advantage of the many seats along the way to sit down and snap a few pictures. I also took a few turnoffs and even stuck my feet in the river at one point (although you can't go swimming--very illegal because of the falls, although once you reach the end of the walk along the river and still have the 15 minutes left to go into Taupo, you can always stop for a little bath in the hot springs!). I definitely thought this was a worthwhile hike--I enjoyed getting to see a little more of the country than I would have by car.

From journal Crazy, Crazy Taupo

Editor Pick

Craters of the Moon

  • April 27, 2004
  • Rated 3 of 5 by nmagann from Ventura, California
Craters of the Moon

Craters of the Moon in Wairakei Tourist Park an area of geothermal activity complete with interpretive walking path. After leaving the kiosk, which has maps, postcards and a few souvenirs. Although no admission is charged there is a box for donations. Just beyond the kiosk is a wide paved road that is relatively steep and ends at the beginning of the footpath. I really wouldn’t say it is wheelchair accessible. A leisurely walk, stopping to take a few pictures and read the signs should consume about 1½-2 hrs of your time. The walkway is made up of wooden planks in the more active areas and signs remind you to stay on the path.

The trail meanders around large cauldrons with boiling gray mud at the bottom. Grey mud is spew up a few feet landing with plopping type sounds. Rising steam from small and large fumaroles is around. Is wise to stay on the path as some of the smaller steam vents are within inches of the path indicating the ground beneath could cave bringing excessive heat to your feet.

One of the things I found so interesting was the small stream I saw that had beautiful moss growing along the sides. I would have thought the sulfur or heat of the water would have prohibited growth. The other sight that was surprising is looking off in the distance across the rising steam was the forest of pines and ferns right along the edge of the walking trail. Again I would have thought very little if anything would grow so close to these conditions.

Craters of the Moon is just across the highway from Huka Falls. You can walk up the road from Huka Falls to get there or take the bus or drive. If you can’t get enough of the geothermal activity, further up the road is the highly developed Wairakei Geothermal Power Station.

From journal Taupo Springs and Whitewater

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