Know the access
The approach to the base crosses private farmland, and current permission for public walkers is not established. Treat the roadside view as the reliable option; do not cross the farm gate or disturb stock without permission.
Overview
About Wishbone Falls
Why stop
- The branching falls stand out against a dark cliff.
Heads up
- Public access to the base across private land is unclear.
Map
Where it is
Loading the Mount Aspiring map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
Know the access
1 active Mount Aspiring alert
- CautionRob Roy Track: stop at lower lookout during avalanche seasonFrom May through November, end your Rob Roy Track hike at the lower lookout; DOC strongly recommends against continuing to the upper lookout because the track crosses active avalanche paths.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Aspiring Tour Guide
Your drive to Wishbone Falls, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mount Aspiring 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.
See the Mount Aspiring audio tourRecorded for this place
Wishbone Falls from the Valley Road0:00 / 0:18
“Wishbone Falls is up ahead, with branching white streams dropping down a dark, shrub-covered cliff. I'd keep this as a brief roadside pause if you're already exploring the valley.”
Plays as you drive up to Wishbone Falls in the Parkwolf Mount Aspiring Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Otago Boys’ High Bridge and Kitchener Track
- Raspberry Creek and Rob Roy Glacier
- Mountains Still in the Making
- Aspiring Hut's Original Walls
- 80 audio storiesacross Mount Aspiring’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Rockwren, Yellowhead, and 8 more
- Works offlinemaps, 50 trails, 52 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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
More about Wishbone Falls
A quick stop on the valley roadWishbone Falls is a tall, branching waterfall beside the Wanaka–Mount Aspiring Road in…
Wishbone Falls is a tall, branching waterfall beside the Wanaka–Mount Aspiring Road in Matukituki Valley, roughly 3 km before the Raspberry Flat road end. Its white streams drop over a dark, shrub-covered cliff, and the falls are visible from the road. Keep it as a brief pause if you are already heading up the valley; the drive is the bigger commitment.
Look for the splitAt about 77 m, the waterfall has real scale for a roadside stop.
At about 77 m, the waterfall has real scale for a roadside stop. The water divides into several ribbons across the rock face; frame the branches together against the cliff so the split shape reads clearly.
Allow for the driveIf you continue to Raspberry Creek, it is about 54 km from Wānaka; the last 30 km are gravel,…
If you continue to Raspberry Creek, it is about 54 km from Wānaka; the last 30 km are gravel, with several creek crossings in the final 10 km. Heavy rain can make the fords impassable to 2WD vehicles and sometimes 4WDs. After 24 hours with little or no rain, they are usually passable to 2WD vehicles, including campervans. Check current conditions before continuing and turn back if a crossing is unsafe.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mount Aspiring
60 sightingsKeaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
112 sightingsRockwrenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
26 sightingsYellowheadMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
13 sightingsTūīMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
27 sightingsBellbirdMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
35 sightingsRiflemanMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mount Aspiring. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
