The CJ way Guide to Dorothy Falls

 AT A GLANCE 

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A cute wee waterfall in the West Coast

Hokitika

1-2 minutes walk from parking

Easy

Free

Best time to visit: morning

Jandals suitable 

 WHERE IS THIS EXACTLY? 

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• Coordinates of the Fall: -42.842396, 171.167303

• There is a designated area for parking on the side of the road. It’s only a short 2 minute walk from here down to the falls.

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 best time to visit? 

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• We think the morning is best to avoid the harsh light from the sun. As the falls are nestled deep in the forest they are in shade for majority of the day.

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 cj travel tips 

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• There is a cool set of old wooden swings you can shoot at sunrise before heading down the road to Dorothy Falls. Coordinates for the swings are: -42.809567, 171.154708. Unfortunately it was too cloudy on the morning we visited so we continued onto the falls.

• If you want to camp nearby, try the DOC run Hans Bay Campsite (located right next to the swings mentioned above). You can read more about this here.

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 cj photography tips 

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• A polarising filter and a tripod is a must for shooting Dorothy Falls. The deep forest conditions mean exposure times can vary from 1-5 seconds.

• Try finding an interesting rock or small waterfall to use as a foreground element. This helps to create depth to your shot.

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 what we found useful to pack 

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​In addition to the usuals (camera gear, suitable clothing, water and food, first aid, etc.) we found the following items useful:

• N/A