• WHAT THE MTB TRAILS ARE ALL ABOUT Whakarewarewa Forest on the southern outskirts of Rotorua contains one of the oldest trail systems in the country. These master crafted trails have an unbeatable blend of proximity to the city centre, riding surfaces, topography and they are surrounded by trees that have size & variety.
Riding on the trails is free to all as the costs of building and maintaining MTB trails is met and informally shared by:
• the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club (Inc) through volunteer efforts.
• the channelling of charitable trust funding into trail development (to pay contract part-time trail-builders since 2005).
• enthusiastic freelancers who give up their own time to build and maintain trails like Old Chevy, Hot X Buns, Rockdrop, Pig Track, Gunna Gotta, The Tickler, Be Rude Not To and Mad if you don't.
• Red McHale from the Department of Corrections who organizes PD work crews ("do the time" comes to mind but all power to their elbows). Notable work by them over the last few years: the "hard landscaping" on HXB and Old Chevy including the two bridges.
• and a team of helpful staff employed by the local Rotorua District Council.
The forest land is owned by Te Arawa; the tree crop itself is owned by a US investment company. The commercial forest management operations are conducted by a local private company as a production forest and they generously allow recreational use in the forest.
The Redwoods is a trail system that has been growing since the late 80s, and it has been designed to pack as much fun into a small area as possible. You can take a 2.5 hour ride without any repeated sections, while never getting further than about 2 kms in a straight line from the trailhead. Even when the carpark is full, the mainly one way system keeps the forest from feeling crowded. The trails are ideal for introducing friends and family to the sport, as they are generally pretty mellow. But they have enough challenges if the speed is cranked up that expert class riders come back again and again.
The trail system is continually being extended and enhanced. Further afield there are heaps more trails than a fit rider can do in a weekend and various groups are always building new ones.
This is crown land, with recreation managed by Rotorua District Council. There is a legal right of access by the public for recreational activities but forestry management go far beyond their obligations to make the forest such a great playground for bike riders.
There is a Visitor Centre on Long Mile Rd where you can get up to date information and a trail map. Call in and tell the staff how cool the trails are. The Redwood grove around this area is full of walking tracks, and horse tracks, and is off limits to bike riders. If you want to start your ride here, go to the far end of Longmile Rd from Tarawera Rd and go around the gate to head up the tarsealed climb of Nursery Road. The trail system has an entrance at the top of the hill.
RideRotorua.com - live since 17 August 2007
20/11/08 ...this week in Rotovegas...
•VIDEOS OF THE WEEK # 1
Skills!?! Gotta get some...
• RECYCLE-A-CYCLE...
Nominate someone to receive a pre-loved bike for Xmas...
• SPOKE
Issue #30 out now...
• AKDH 2008 Downhill series - It's the Rotorua round on November 22 & 23. Check out the points after two rounds and get out to watch this weekend.
• You can also enter the Mid North Island XC Series and the Bike Vegas Summer Cup NOW...
• TRAILS: Trails are in great condition - actually a bit dusty in the weekend. The rain on Monday got through the canopy, though. Fine for the rest of the week but not looking too flash for the weekend. WEATHER UPDATE...
• NEW TRAILS: DRAGON'S TAIL... off Red Tank Road just down from the Pipeline/Direct Road intersection and on the opposite side to Be Rude Not To. TURKISH DELIGHT... from the end of Lion to Nursery Road between Tokorangi Pa and Katore Roads...
• Great work by the Rotorua MTB Club working bee on the first Sunday in November: the link between Pondy New and Rollercoaster had a hard winter - but it's all sweet now! Thanks Rhys and the crew.
• And have a ride of CREEK TRACK - some nice work is happening on all three sections of this top old-school trail.
Also getting some trail TLC recently: Be Rude Not To, A Trail, Dipper, Rosebank and Lion Trail...
• Local endurance rider Thomas Lindup won the U-25 category at the Adrenalin World 24 Hour Solo Champs in Canada in August - read Thomas' story about a tough, tough race...
• 2009 24 & 12 HOURS OF ROTORUA - March 28/29 -including NZ 24 Hour Solo Champs and qualification for 24 Hour Solo Worlds. Thomas will be there. You can be, too - ENTRIES ARE OPEN.
The EVENTS PAGE & EVENTS CALENDAR have the latest information on what's on...including BIKENZ/MTBNZ 2009 NATIONAL SERIES & CHAMPS. NOW, WITH LATEST FROM CYCLING ROTORUA & BMX ROTORUA
