As you head down SH1 from Cambridge towards Putāruru, watch for a right turn onto Horahora Road to Arapuni. This road follows the Waikato River, with several good viewpoints, but the main attractions are the Arapuni suspension bridge, power station, dam, and lake. This extensive Waikato River hydro scheme section was developed in the 1920s.
Access to parking for the walkway suspension bridge is signposted in the town. The high 152-metre suspension bridge crosses a high-sided and bush-lined gorge with stunning views of the power station on one side and the river on the other. It was built in the mid-1920s to allow workers from Arapuni to access the power station construction site. Although it is high and long and looks like a swing bridge, it does feel stable when you’re out in the middle.
The bridge is 1.5 km north of the Arapuni Dam. You can walk over the bridge and south along the access road to reach the reserve near the dam or drive through Arapuni to the dam. If you have more time, the easiest access to the lake is along Lake Arapuni Road to Jones Landing on the eastern side.
Walking over the bridge offers a superb view of the power station and further south to the dam.
