#8 of 17 sights in Arthur's Pass
Sight · Arthur's Pass National Park
Quick village stop; take the steep spur for a closer waterfall view.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Arthur's Pass Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Arthur's Pass National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Arthur's Pass Chapel and Avalanche Creek“You're nearing the village walk to Arthur's Pass Chapel and Avalanche Creek Waterfall. If the chapel is open, step inside: the large window above the altar frames the falls against the beech-covered hillside.”
Plays as you drive up to Avalanche Creek Waterfall in the Parkwolf Arthur's Pass Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Avalanche Creek Waterfall is a small, multi-tier cascade beside Arthur’s Pass Village, reached by a short loop behind the visitor centre. It’s an easy leg-stretch; if you want one full waterfall walk in the park, save more time for Devils Punchbowl Falls.
The stone bridge gives you pools and lower cascades, with the main drop farther upstream. Continue up the steps to a platform closer to the fall, though trees partly screen the view. The bridge section is suitable for prams and wheelchairs; the platform spur isn’t. The 350 m loop takes about ten minutes and ends at the chapel, where a large altar window frames the waterfall, then follows the footpath back to the start.
A sign explains that the stone bridge was part of the old village road and gave people a way across when the creek ford flooded. For a photo, look upstream from the bridge and include the pools with the lower cascades; the platform brings you nearer the main drop, but its view is more screened.
Wildlife
984 sightingsKeaMost seen around noonSighting map
39 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
190 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
20 sightingsKākāMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsWekaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
15 sightingsParadise ShelduckMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Arthur's Pass. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingAvalanche Peak Route6.8 km · 7 hr · 0.1 km awaySteep forest, a razor ridge, and the gentler Scotts descent.EasyMillennium Walk0.6 km · 12 min · 0.3 km awayA village waterfall loop with a bridge, steps, and a chapel view.
ChallengingAvalanche Peak – Crow River Route19.7 km · 10 hr · 0.3 km awayA summit ridge gives way to scree, hut and braided river flats.
EasyJC’s Track1.8 km · 30 min · 0.3 km awayEasy river-flat walking with Rough Creek’s waterfalls across the valley.
EasyMorts Loop0.8 km · 18 min · 0.3 km awayA short beech loop along the Bealey River flats.
ModerateDevils Punchbowl Walking Track2 km · 1 hr · 0.6 km awaySteep stair climb through beech forest to a 131 m waterfall
ModerateArthur’s Pass Walking Track6.8 km · 3.5 hr · 0.6 km awayBeech forest, alpine wetlands and a high-pass lookout
EasyBridal Veil Walk1.8 km · 40 min · 0.6 km awayA short forest walk to distant falls and open mountain views.
Lodging · 0.1 km awayMountain House BackpackersA central village base with a proper shared kitchen.
Sight · 0.1 km awayArthur’s Pass ChapelThe altar window frames a waterfall in this quiet village chapel.
Restaurant · 0.2 km awayArthur’s Pass Café & StorePie, coffee, groceries and the only fuel for a long stretch.
Lodging · 0.2 km awayArthur’s Pass Motel & LodgeA warm village base with lodge rooms and a shared kitchen.
Campground · 0.2 km awayAvalanche Creek Shelter CampsiteA handy village base if you can live with freight trains.
Visitor center · 0.2 km awayArthur’s Pass National Park Visitor CentreStart your mountain day with track and weather advice from the rangers.
Gas station · 0.3 km awayArthur’s Pass EV Charging StationA useful top-up on the alpine crossing.
Sight · 0.5 km awayArthur’s Pass Railway StationStone walls, alpine peaks, and a century of rail travel.Parkwolf’s Arthur's Pass ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
