 The gorge and the creek which runs through it (Trotters Creek, which runs to the Pacific Ocean near Katiki) were named for the family of early settler W. S. Trotter.The area is a popular day trip for visitors from Oamaru and Dunedin, with several walking tracks, a picnic area, and campsite, and the area around the gorge itself is noted for its geological and botanical features.The area is protected as a scenic reserve, and is reached by road via the inland route from Palmerston to Moeraki (the Horse Range Road).