The Tuātapere Scenic Reserve Loop Track is located in Tuātapere Domain, on the northwest side of the Waiau River in Tuātapere. The track follows the river from the Southern Scenic Route (State Highway 99). Then it winds through remnant ancient podocarp and beech trees, a remnant part of the forest that dominated the Waiau Valley before Europeans arrived, chopped it down and converted most of it to farmland.
Along the walk is a range of shrubs and trees, including tangles of kareao (supplejack), tree ferns, kōtukutuku (tree fuchsia), mātai, and kahikatea. A highlight is a thousand-year-old tōtara tree with a diameter of 2.5 meters.
The loop is an easy, flat gravel track accessible to everyone. You can also access the reserve from the highway on Elder Drive.
