Cleopatra’s Pool

Cleopatra’s Pool is a small natural stream pool reached as a side trip off the Abel Tasman Coast Track. The clear water, moss-lined rock slide and boulders make it a good stop if you fancy a cold swim. If you would only stop to look, the pool is modest; save the detour for a day when you can enjoy the river or get in the water.

The pool is on the Anchorage to Bark Bay stretch. The all-tide route around Torrent Bay estuary is 11.5 km and about four hours, and it gives access to the pool; the low-tide crossing route is 8.4 km and about three hours. Those figures are for the whole track section, not the pool detour. The estuary crossing is passable only within two hours either side of low tide. A short, signposted path follows Torrent River toward a narrowing canyon, but its distance and walking time are not published.

The pool sits below water slipping over smooth rock slabs, among pale boulders and forest. Water is often cold, so bring swimwear and a towel if you plan to try the slide. Wet rocks and stepping stones can be slippery; choose your footing carefully around the stream. Visitor opinions are mixed: many enjoy the slide and swim, while some find the pool small for the extra walk, especially when it is busy. Crowding varies, with no reliable quiet time.

From the pool edge, include both the mossy chute and the clear basin, with pale rocks leading down to the water. That gives the picture the whole natural slide rather than a close crop of rock alone.

This is a wild swimming stop without a developed service point. Food is not sold on the Coast Track, so carry your meals, snacks and water. Dogs are not allowed on the track.

Abel Tasman’s bedrock is Separation Point Granite, whose makeup influences stream-bed colours and forest cover across the park. There is no documented account of exactly how this particular chute formed; here, the flowing water, pale slabs and clear basin are the close-up of that granite landscape.