On Walkabout Around: The Steaming Waters of Kerosene Creek

In the New Zealand city of Rotorua and its immediate area, there are a number of resorts that cater to people who want to take a dip in one of the various hot springs that surround the area. Why pay to sit in a natural hot spring when you can sit in one for free?

Kerosene Creek is a pool of natural spring water that is open to the public, much like with the Spa Park in Taupo. The hot spring is located 16 kilometers south of Rotorua and can be reached by turning off southbound Highway 5 on to Old Waiotapu Road.

Immediately once on Old Waiotapu Road, a natural steaming lake comes into view that is located at the base of Rainbow Mountain:

The road soon becomes a dirt road that follows Kerosene Creek which flows on the right side of the road:

This flowing creek is all bubbling mineral water. About four kilometers down the road the creek flows down a small waterfall and empties into a small pool before continuing to flow through the forest:

This pool is where people can sit in the water for free. The water temperature was absolutely perfect and the pool was actually deep enough to swim around in. When I went to the pool it wasn’t to busy and only four local Maoris were there and they told me few tourists come to the pool and it is basically only known to the locals in the area.

The Kerosene Creek area is extremely scenic and a dip in the bubbling mineral water was definitely worth the short drive out of the city to check out.

Next Posting: The Waimangu Volcanic Valley

Prior Posting: Video of Tongariro National Park

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