The Amazing Steaming Cliffs at Hells Gate   

The steaming cliffs pool is the hottest in the reserve.
        
At the surface, the temperature is 122oC with the boiling water sometimes reaching a height of more than 3 metres.

The reason for the high temperature is that the minerals in the water elevates the boiling point of the water so that it can exceed 100oC.

There are also two smaller pools which are about 200-300 mm above the main pool.  These two pools were the result of an explosion that occurred in 2002 and show clearly that the geothermal systems operating here are very active and always changing.

Click here to learn more about Hells Gate Rotorua educational programmes for children of all ages!