Oparara / Moria Gate Arches

The Oparara Basin is a pain in the ass to get to, but it has some really cool and unique natural wonders. Near Westport you’ll see billboards touting “the largest limestone arches in NZ.” Yes, the arches are vast, and the Oparara Arch is so vast that it defies both photography and the title of “arch”—it’s SO big that no little promo picture readies you for the WOW! The Moria Gate, while less grandiose, is still no slacker...and a good bit easier to photograph. All the visual splendors of the Oparara Basin are clustered around the one Oparara carpark.

Oparara Arch. The easy 12-minute one-way track to the Oparara Arch follows along the banks of a root-beer stream, with a side path to a small swimming-hole beach. Dare to take a dip in the dark (yet perfectly clean) waters?? Along the way you’ll also pass two side streams which will delight photographers with the contrasting green moss/root-beer waterfall combo. The track finally ascends into the MASSIVE archway where the DOC sign tells you “no further.” Bring a headlamp so you can see more clearly where you’re not supposed to go. Underneath the Oparara Arch is way too cool not to explore, but be sure not to let any boulders fall on your head and kill you.

Moria Gate Arch. (Yes, named after LOTR, long before LOTR filmed in NZ!) From the carpark the Moria Gate Arch is 17 minutes along the easy Arch/Tarn 45-minute loop track. Make sure to bring a headlamp and sandals! The track, well-graded and easy the entire loop, requires a semi-difficult rockclimbing move to get underneath Moria Arch—you’ll need to step down into a rocky pit using a helperchain, whence you’ll emerge under the impressive arch. Super-fun, except if you forget to bring a flashlight and have to try it in the dark. The arch, once you’re underneath, has glow worms underneath and a beach out front—a great place to laze away a bit of afternoon. Aside from the Moria Gate, the rest of the track through the forest is also captivatingly unique, unlike any other easily accessible forest on the South. Giant moss-draped trees preside over an open understory of tree ferns…simply wonderful! From the arch the track continues over the top of the arch then along to a spur out to the Mirror Tarn, then on to the road just a minute up from the carpark.

Box Canyon/ Crazy Paving Stones Caves. These two short caves are 2km up the road from Moria Arch. Both caves share the same entrance track—20 minutes and a headlamp should be sufficient to see them both. Neither will knock your socks off, but both are worth a quick look-see.