All you need to know hiking the Sharplin Falls Track
After countless hours of volunteer work and community donations, the Tāhekerua/ Sharplin Falls track has been newly rebuilt and is now open! Nestled in the beautiful foothills of Mount Somers, this track is a perfect addition to the area and is a great beginner and family-friendly hike in Canterbury.
The Sharplin Falls track has been permanently closed since 2017 since the earthquake, leaving parts unpassable and unsafe for hikers. The original track was connected to the same track that led to Pinnacles Hut. However, the damage was too extensive so a whole new track needed to be created.
The Mt Somers Walkway Society really led the charge in rebuilding the Sharplin Falls track. The project cost almost half a million dollars. Most of the money was raised by the Mt Somers Walkway society coming from donations and fundraisers. Most of the work done on the track has been volunteer hours. It’s truly remarkable what has all gone into this project to get it done. We are incredibly lucky in Mid Canterbury to now have this track available to us. You can find the Mt Somers Walkway Society group on Facebook and post photos and stories from your adventures on the trails!
Track details
~88 m gain | 2.6 km return | 45 mins -1.5 hr return
The Sharplin Falls track is a beautiful bush track taking you through dense beech forest with an array of native flora and fauna. It’s so lush and fresh, you’ll feel like you’re walking through a sea of green. The path is wide, gravel pretty much the entire way and a gentle walk with no big steep parts making it perfect for anyone new to hiking or for those who want a more leisurely hike through the forest.
There are two bridges along the way which have beautiful views up the river and the surrounding landscapes. Huge boulders bring life to the rushing river as the water moves past creating little waterfalls along the way. The placement of boulders in some areas has created small pools which would be excellent swimming holes for the summertime.
You’ll likely encounter a variety of birdlife like the curious piwakawaka/fantail, sparrows, kererū/Wood Pigeon and if you’re lucky, the very cute miromiro/Tomtit.
The signage on the track is very well laid out and easy to follow. The Sharplin Falls track is an in-and-out track with areas along the way to sit down and take it all in. The viewing platform at the end has a picnic table making it the perfect spot for lunch with a view.
The Ascent
There isn’t really much of an ascent on this track as you are not hiking to a summit. The beginning of the track isn’t necessarily very steep but it is a gradual incline until the path levels out for a bit winding through the native bush and lush green ferns. It’s not long into the track that you’ll come to a junction that very clearly marks where to go. Veering to the left will take you to join up with the Mt Somers south face track and going straight ahead keeps you on course for Sharplin Falls.
A brief section of switchbacks takes you to ‘the gully’. Once you come up from the gully the path is relatively flat from there. You’ll find a beautiful wooden bench on the track to take a break at and stairs towards the end of the track lead to the last bridge and up to the viewing platform of the falls.
Alternative routes
There are no alternative routes to get to Sharplin Falls as it is an in-and-out track. I do not recommend trying to go the old way if you know where that is and somehow connect with the new track. The old track does come to a point where you cannot pass and the new track is for the most part on the other side of the river.
Other hikes in the area
The Sharplin Falls track is part of the Mt Somers walkway area. An epic hiking area of Mid Canterbury that has numerous tracks, most of which do join up with each other. Some tracks are quite challenging, others family-friendly with hut options. If you’re keen on hiking the area, check out these other blog posts!
All you need to know hiking Mt Somers
Full guide to hiking Mt Barossa
What to wear
Depending on the season will dictate what clothing you decide to wear. With the mix of up and down throughout the track, I found that enough to keep me pretty warm. In the summer, the forest tends to get quite muggy so shorts and a t-shirt would be fine. In fall and winter, tights/hiking pants and a sweater or a light jacket should suffice.
In terms of footwear, you don’t need to have hiking boots or shoes. Normal running shoes would be just fine or even walking sandals (for the summer). Besides the very end of the track, there aren’t really any spots where it would get very muddy.
How to get to Sharplin Falls
The Sharplin Falls track is located in the Sharplin Falls Reserve in the foothills behind Staveley on Flynns Road. When you turn off into Staveley, you’ll see the Staveley Store right away, continue on that road, called Boyd’s Road and then turn right onto Flynns Road. There is a sign that says Sharplin Falls.
Continue on that road all the way to the end and you’ll reach the car park. The car park is small but there are other areas to park along the road. You’ll see one area has been graveled with about 6 or 7 parking spaces. That carpark is just less than half a km to the start of the track.