Fantail Falls

Fantail Falls

Haast Pass

15 Rankers Reviews

10 Face-to-Face

12 Haast

Your Nature Guide

Marios Gavalas's avatar

Marios Gavalas

Author And Researcher

Nau mai, haere mai

Nau mai, haere mai

I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.

I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!

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Information

Fantail Falls

200 m return | 5 minutes return

A pretty waterfall beside the Haast River. The schist beach has become a monument to rock stacks. The flat, smooth, easily stacked rocks are placed into towers and sculptures by passing travellers. Only to be demolished by other travellers or the next flood.

Walking Track

Timing

Not a place to visit in flood.

Access

Fantail Falls are well signposted 4.8 km from the Gates of Haast and 3.7 km from Haast Pass.

Track

The concrete track nips into the beech forest then descends to the schist beach opposite the falls.

Details

Feature Value Info

Organisation

DOC Otago

Central government organisation

Location

South IslandWest CoastHaast

Categories

  • Activity__walking_and_trekkingWalking
  • Free

Directions

To Coordinates

Coordinates

-44.0770731893812

169.38802947998

Latitude
-44.0770731893812
Longitude
169.38802947998

Nearby

Reviews

    • Magical spot.
    • Close to the river, short walk, clean.
    • Another nice, short walk to a waterfall.
    • Skippable.
    • Great and short walk, nice photo location.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 3
    20%
    9/10 5
    33%
    8/10 4
    27%
    7/10 2
    13%
    6/10 0
    0%
    5/10 0
    0%
    4/10 1
    7%
    3/10 0
    0%
    2/10 0
    0%
    1/10 0
    0%
  • 2.0/5

    Skippable.

    Not impressive. Maybe after heavy rain or nice when your not able to get off the main roads. I do not get al the 10 ratings. There are so many better falls or scenery to be found all around NZ.

    Reviewed over 5 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Lovely place to stop off when driving through Haast pass.

    My partner climber all the way up the waterfall (he told me it was very cold!) and found lots of place to explore. Clear blue water, looks incredible. Lots of rock stacks, unsure of their symbolism. A really lovely place to be for a rest.

    Reviewed over 6 years ago and experienced in March 2018

  • 5.0/5

    1 of our favourite spots to stop in Haast Pass.

    If you camp in the area you can avoid the midday tourist hordes who stop for a quick look. Hang around a while, explore up and down the riverbanks and attempt your own rock stack. Some fun/challenging canyons to explore nearby - if you're in the know. Fun place to photograph at different times of the day. The river can be crossed - go barefoot or wet shoes...don't lose your jandals! The pool at the base is nice for a dip. The track to the left of the falls leads up to some reasonably easy to navigate ledges - don't bring grandma or baby...but enjoy the adventure and the photo ops!

    Reviewed almost 7 years ago

  • 3.5/5

    Very pleasant walk.

    Reviewed about 7 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Great and short walk, nice photo location.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    Kat's avatar

    Kat

  • 4.5/5

    Close to the river, short walk, clean.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

  • 4.0/5

    Magical spot.

    Free. Swimming for the brave. Beautiful river and surrounded by New Zealand native bush.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

  • 3.5/5

    we stopped and had lunch here - only a 5 min walk to the falls.

    Beautiful scenery by the river and waterfall, however take bug spray as infested with sandflies.

    Reviewed about 10 years ago and experienced in February 2014

  • 4.5/5

    A lovely little waterfall right off the road.

    But what is even more intriguing are the rock piles that have been made by visitors, make your own!!

    Reviewed over 10 years ago and experienced in February 2014

  • 5.0/5

    Hard but amazing, great waterfall, for wheelchairs.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Different things to see within a small time to see them.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago

  • 2.0/5

    Skippable.

    Not impressive. Maybe after heavy rain or nice when your not able to get off the main roads. I do not get al the 10 ratings. There are so many better falls or scenery to be found all around NZ.

    Reviewed over 5 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Lovely place to stop off when driving through Haast pass.

    My partner climber all the way up the waterfall (he told me it was very cold!) and found lots of place to explore. Clear blue water, looks incredible. Lots of rock stacks, unsure of their symbolism. A really lovely place to be for a rest.

    Reviewed over 6 years ago and experienced in March 2018

  • 5.0/5

    1 of our favourite spots to stop in Haast Pass.

    If you camp in the area you can avoid the midday tourist hordes who stop for a quick look. Hang around a while, explore up and down the riverbanks and attempt your own rock stack. Some fun/challenging canyons to explore nearby - if you're in the know. Fun place to photograph at different times of the day. The river can be crossed - go barefoot or wet shoes...don't lose your jandals! The pool at the base is nice for a dip. The track to the left of the falls leads up to some reasonably easy to navigate ledges - don't bring grandma or baby...but enjoy the adventure and the photo ops!

    Reviewed almost 7 years ago

  • 3.5/5

    Very pleasant walk.

    Reviewed about 7 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Great and short walk, nice photo location.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    Kat's avatar

    Kat

  • 4.5/5

    Close to the river, short walk, clean.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

  • 4.0/5

    Magical spot.

    Free. Swimming for the brave. Beautiful river and surrounded by New Zealand native bush.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

  • 3.5/5

    we stopped and had lunch here - only a 5 min walk to the falls.

    Beautiful scenery by the river and waterfall, however take bug spray as infested with sandflies.

    Reviewed about 10 years ago and experienced in February 2014

  • 4.5/5

    A lovely little waterfall right off the road.

    But what is even more intriguing are the rock piles that have been made by visitors, make your own!!

    Reviewed over 10 years ago and experienced in February 2014

  • 5.0/5

    Hard but amazing, great waterfall, for wheelchairs.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Different things to see within a small time to see them.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Fantail Falls is nice, however, explore the hidden canyon just 100m downstream...a-ha, then you're in for a full adventure.

    NEAT!

    Reviewed almost 13 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Worth a stop.

    Lovely forested walks. Easily accessed by all.

    Reviewed over 13 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Great for kids, only 5 mins

    Reviewed over 14 years ago and experienced in January 2010

  • 4.5/5

    Another nice, short walk to a waterfall.

    This one was actually less crowded than the Thunder Creek Falls, so that was nice.

    Reviewed over 14 years ago and experienced in November 2009