All photographs are kindly supplied by Graeme Murray
Happy Trails 2010...
Rotorua - the Spiritual Home of Mountain Biking in N.Z. • Rotorua is a bike hub for all sorts of cycling...
And Ride Rotorua is home to...
• BMX Rotorua... club of World Champion, Sarah Walker...
• Rotorua Singlespeed Society (inc)...1 cog since November 2007....
• Rotorua Cycling Action... the advocates for all things cycling in our town...
• What our mountain bike 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.
Recreation and events are 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
11/03/10 • weather... • forecast next 5 days... • trails... • TRAIL & ROAD CLOSURES... operational logging is on and SPLIT ENZ will be closed over next 2-3 months - connecting roads and trails may be closed at times.
For your own safety and the safety of the forest crews
PLEASE RESPECT any trail closure signage... MORE INFO...
• TRAIL INFO...
• If you have trail news, please EMAIL US
• Trails always need work and you can help: ADOPT-A-TRAIL OR HELP ON RMTBC WORKING BEES... • events... • SINGLESPEED WORLDS 2010 - ENTRIES OPENED MIDNIGHT NEW YEAR'S EVE...over 600 entries already... Singlespeed Worlds Rotorua
...presented by Kiwibikes and a bunch of other great partners! • latest... • 2010 National Series and New Zealand and Oceania Champs...after a big summer season the Oceanias in Dunedin are coming up March 18-21.
• THE CIRCUS IN FEBRUARY...It's cold! Rotorua mechanic Kris Withington reports from inside Team Garmin and the Pro Tour in Europe...
• ROTORUA - WORLD'S BEST TRAILS...that's what Australian Mountain Bike are saying in the current issue!
• KRIS WITHINGTON - BIKE WIZARD...Rotorua mechanic back with Team Garmin in 2010...
• Rotorua photoshoot with Belgian Trials rider Kenny "The Magician" Belaey - THE VIDEO... • Willkommen, Bienvenue etc...
