Which New Zealand cycle trail?
I was recently asked for advice on which cycle trails I’d recommend for someone planning a trip to New Zealand. Fortunately, this person had already narrowed down their options, which made it easier for me to respond. But where do you start if you've never cycled in New Zealand before?
Whether you're a local or an international visitor, you’ll need to check out what’s available and consider how that aligns with the kind of cycling experience you’re after.
What’s available?
A good starting point for checking out what’s available is the Ngā Haerenga/NZ Cycle Trails website. The focus of the website is on the 23 Great Rides, which are mostly off-road trails that are well-maintained and show off the best of New Zealand.
The Great Rides offer a diverse range of experiences, from easy riding along old rail trails to much more challenging back country rides that require excellent fitness and mountain bike experience. They all offer spectacular scenery - many trails follow rivers, canals, or the edge of a lake or coast; some go through native forest; and most have great views of mountains, hills, and rural countryside.
The Ngā Haerenga website provides a good overview of each of the Great Rides, including trail highlights and a detailed description of what you’ll see along the way. It also provides essential information like the level of fitness required, how many days you’ll need, and the availability of food, water and cell phone coverage. Links are provided to each trail website, where you’ll find even more information to help plan your trip.
But the Great Rides aren’t the only trails worth considering. There are plenty of other options for recreational cycling across the country. You just have to look a little harder to find them.
Here’s some good sources of information:
Local councils often have information on recreational opportunities available in their area, including cycle tracks. (You can find a map and links to all New Zealand council websites here.)
Regional tourism organisations highlight cycling opportunities too. (You can link to their websites from the Regional Tourism New Zealand site).
The national Tourism New Zealand’s website has a section on cycling and mountain biking. It focuses on the Great Rides so doesn’t add anything to the information on the Ngā Haerenga website. But it does provide an overview of the best places for mountain biking in New Zealand.
The Ngā Haerenga website also has information on Heartland and Connector Rides, which are mostly on-road cycle routes. The Heartland rides take scenic back roads through rural New Zealand (so are good for recreational riding) and the Connector rides are designed to connect up the rides on the safest possible route.
The Great Rides app is also worth checking out. As well the existing Great Rides, it includes information on trails planned or under construction, and a few 'bonus rides' that aren't part of the Ngā Haerenga network.
The Kennett brothers have written a number of books on New Zealand cycle tracks, including easy short rides, classic cycle trails, bikepacking routes and mountain bike tracks. (If they’re not available at your local library, you can buy them here.)
What kind of cycling experience do you want?
Not every cycle trail will be suitable for every cyclist. Before choosing a trail, consider what kind of cyclist you are and what you’re looking for from your ride.
Do you like to cycle on hills, or would you prefer to stay on the flat?
Are you looking for a slow leisurely ride, with lots of stops along the way, or do you like more of a physical challenge and a faster pace?
Are you comfortable riding on the road or are you only interested in off-road trails?
What sort of trails conditions do you like? Do you prefer a wide path and a smooth surface, or is a narrower gravel track OK?
Do you like mountain biking? And, importantly, do you have the skills to be able to tackle the more technical and remote tracks?
How much time have you got? Are you looking for a day ride or a multi-day trip? If you’re doing a multi-day trip, will you carry your own gear, or will you need support with that?
What sort of scenery and activities interest you? Do you want to cycle through native forest, or somewhere where you’ve got an open vista? Do you want to visit wineries, coffee shops or small towns, or would you prefer to get away from it all?
The Ngā Haerenga website has recently been refreshed to help people identify which of the Great Rides might best suit them. As well as being able to search the rides by location (region) or grade (how challenging they are), you can now filter them by experience. The available categories are family, wilderness, history, town & country, Māori culture, wineries, eat & drink, and classic mountain bike. (The categories overlap so any one ride might provide a number of experiences.)
It’s important to be aware of your cycling abilities in choosing a ride. The grading system is well-explained on the Ngā Haerenga website, and takes into account the nature of the terrain, the level of traffic on any on-road sections, and how remote the trail is. For example, the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail is a grade 3 (intermediate) trail because it includes a very remote section with no cellphone coverage, despite relatively easy track conditions.
Think too about the time of year you’ll be cycling. Some trails are popular with families so are busy during school holidays (especially January and April). And some trails (like the Central Otago trails) will be scorching hot in mid-summer and freezing cold in winter. Other trails can get very wet and muddy after heavy rain. But some trails, especially those in coastal areas, are good to ride year-round.
So, what trails do I recommend?
I have enjoyed all the trails I’ve cycled for different reasons, and there aren’t any that I wouldn’t recommend. However, I do favour some over others - which reflects my own preferences. I like rides that involve a physical challenge (hills and distance) and have great scenery. I’m happy to stop for lunch or coffee, but it’s not critical to my ride. Others will have different preferences.
Here’s some suggestions for different kinds of rides.
If you’re a beginner cyclist, or just prefer to stay on the flat - The rail trails are a good option if you’re looking for a relatively easy multi-day ride (try the Hauraki Rail Trail in the North Island or the Otago Central Rail Trail in the south). The cycling can be a bit monotonous though (with lots of long straight sections) so you might consider doing day rides instead, or just do some of the route so you can visit the most interesting bits.
Otago Central Rail Trail If you want to base yourself in a city - Cities can be good places for recreational cycling, especially the smaller cities with established paths along the coast or rivers. I like the Hawke’s Bay Trails, which offer easy (flat) day rides north and south of Napier. Nelson and Queenstown also have a network of trails with Great Ride status, which provide easy and more challenging options. Christchurch and New Plymouth both have coastal walkways suitable for cycling. And this summer, I’ll be heading to Dunedin to cycle the Otago Peninsula and try out Te Aka Ōtākou (the Otago Vine) around the harbour.
If you’re looking for big scenery - I am a big fan of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail because it offers a lot of diversity in one trip, with snow-capped mountains, high country lakes, hydro-dams and canals, rolling farmland, limestone rock formations (and fossils) and Māori rock art. The first day of the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail is also impressive - with great view of Lake Wakatipu and huge mountains all around. And I love the barren rocky landscape of the Lake Dunstan Trail, which can easily be completed in a half day (or more). This trail is really popular, and is narrow at times, so I suggest riding it mid-week when there are fewer people around.
Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail If you enjoy cycling through native bush - The central North Island is best for native bush (try the Timber Trail or Mountains to Sea Ngā Ara Tūhono). However, the West Coast Wilderness Trail in the South Island is more accessible and an easier ride for most people. Even though it rains a lot, it’s also better for year-round riding.
If you’re a keen mountain biker - I’m not the best person to give advice here because I steer clear on anything too technical. However, I do know that the Old Ghost Road (on the West Coast) is very popular, as are mountain bike tracks around Rotorua and Queenstown.
If you want to focus on one area - Central Otago is undoubtedly the best region in New Zealand for recreational cycling. It is home to several Great Rides, many of which connect - the Queenstown and Around the Mountains Cycle Trails are accessible from Queenstown, and Alexandra (or Clyde) is a good base for cycling the Lake Dunstan, Otago Central Rail, Roxburgh Gorge and Clutha Gold Trails. Plus, there’s good mountain biking in Queenstown and Wanaka.
Cycling near Wanaka If you’re planning to tour the country - If you're travelling by bike (and have lots of time) you could follow the Tour Aotearoa route from one end of the country to the other. Experienced bikepackers will be happy to go it alone, or you could do what I did and sign up for a supported tour. But if cycling is incidental to your tour, perhaps work out which parts of the country you want to visit and then look for opportunities to incorporate day rides, or a short multi-day ride, into your trip.
Just do it Tom 😀
Wow! This is quite valuable and makes me want to pack my bags!