Must-Do Mountain Bike Trails
When you check out our range it will immediately become obvious that we are a leading retailer of mountain bikes in NZ. As a trailblazer in the world of mountain bikes, and as keen riders ourselves, we are often asked the best places to ride. Here are a few of our favourites, starting from the top of the North Island and heading South. The great thing about most of these trails is they are suitable for riders of all ages and skill levels.
- Woodhill Mountain Bike Park is a 50-minute drive from Auckland’s CBD so it’s a short journey to this purpose-built network of tracks, all set against some of the most stunning scenery in the region. There are 50 mountain bike trails and 150km of tracks, with something for riders of every ability as well as bike hire, shop, and café.
- For many years, Rotorua has been considered one of the country’s mountain biking hot spots, with plenty of tracks and variety throughout the region. One of our favourite spots is the Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest, one of the oldest mountain bike trails in the country. The network consists of 130km of trails with something for beginners and families to riders who really like to push themselves to the max.
- Just down the road from Rotorua, the mountain and bush trails around Lake Taupo make it a real magnet for riders. Like all of the best biking hot spots, there is a trail for all abilities in Taupo, and all budgets as well. If you want to splash out a little, you must try heli-biking down the Kaimanawas. You’re flown by helicopter to a remote and untouched location inside Kaimanawa National Park and from there a 10-kilometre track descends down a purpose-built trail with incredible views all the way down.
- Wellington’s location and geography, and all those hills, means the capital is another place to head to for a wide variety of trails. Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park in Karori has a 40-kilometre network of trails just 15 minutes drive from the CBD, and the view from the top is breathtaking. Trails range in Grade from 3 to 6, so it’s another venue with something for everyone.
- Going downhill in Queenstown is usually associated with skiing but mountain biking here is pretty awesome too. It’s even better since the Rude Rock Track opened in 2013. This Grade 4 trail is suited for more adept riders as it can get steep, but at just 7 kilometres long, it doesn’t take too long to ride. The Rude Rock Track is on the Coronet Peak Access Road with some incredible views, and then there’s Rude Rock itself; you’ll see how it got that name when you get there!
- Craigieburn Forest Park is a Canterbury mountain biking gem. This area is cool for skiing in winter but it also delivers great riding on the dual-purpose tracks. There are seven tracks in total at the park with the longest being the challenging Craigieburn Valley Loop, a 15-kilometre route that takes between 2 – 4 hours. The park is approximately 100 kilometres from Christchurch on the Great Alpine Highway (SH73) towards Arthur's Pass. The riding and incredible views of the Southern Alps make it a trip well worth making.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg and there are many more mountain biking tracks right around New Zealand. The riding is even better when you have a decent bike underneath you, and we can help you in that department!
