LATEST... • HATUPATU...new trail off Tuhoto Ariki at the top of the forest, now open. Great work by a bunch of spade and rake-wielding volunteers over the summer!
• DUCK POND REVIVED...PHOTOS...The pond on Larch Road has been given a massive spruce up by Red and the Dept of Corrections work crews... • DRAGON'S TAIL... runs from Red Tank Road, with the entrance on the left hand side not far down from Bunny Jugs and exits back on to Red Tank just up from the Tank. TURKISH DELIGHT...from just past the exit of Lion Trail to Nursery Road in the stand of forest between Tokorangi Pa and Katore Roads...
Photo: Ray & Dave at the head of Ball & Chain, the link trail to 8 Mile Gate and Hill Rd opened early in 2008.
Rotorua MTB Club working bees....
Number 5 for 2009 is July 6.
Trail crew wrangler Rhys Cleverley reports:
This Sunday the 5th July will be a wheelbarrow day. Thanks to Johnstone & Masters Ltd we have a truckload of pumice to spread along Tuhoto Ariki. Mud will need to be removed and boards placed to hold in the pumice.
Meet at the gate opposite the black house on Blue lake Rd 09:00am sharp.
• The working bees are usually first Sunday every month.
Cheers Rhys C 0274 877438
Stay tuned for information on when the next one will be or get in touch with Rhys.
Help maintain the trails...
Looking after the trails takes a lot of work and relies manly on a committed group of volunteers.
You can help. The necessary application form is here: ADOPT-A-TRAIL...
From Waipa Carpark
The most popular entry to the forest is from the Waipa Mill access road, signposted off SH5 a few kms south of town. It is easy riding distance, especially if you are staying at the very cool Alpin Motel on Sala St.
• Through the carpark, past the free bike wash stand (with drinkable water) over the little bridge, and you are on the trail. If you go hard right you have a nice flat trail to warm up on, and you can work your way around the whole thing from here. Remember that to get back to your car (don't laugh, people get hopelessly lost 5 minutes from the exit) go downhill on Pohaturoa Rd, off Nursery Rd at the big intersection. There is a sign which helps but not if you are too rooted to read.
• There are over 30 kilometres of named, signposted trails in this section of the forest, which is amazing because the area we are talking about is only a couple of kms square. The whole thing is mapped, and you can get maps from the visitor centre in Long Mile Rd, and also from Ed at Planet Bike in the carpark.
Ed makes a great coffee, rents out good bikes, and has basic trail essentials. He is a wealth of knowledge, a good guy and a good mechanic.
• You can easily access pick up points for the South Star Shuttle from here (or drive past the car park and the Red Stag Mill to the Hill Road gate entrance to the forest). • Photos: 1) entrance to carpark; 2) Ed's Planet Bike.
Unfortunately, there are some selfish dickheads for whom the trail system doesn't provide what they seek.
Instead of going somewhere else in the other 90% of the forest and building what they want, they shortcut, or otherwise modify the established system. Their activities could make it difficult for you to navigate if you are not a local. Please don't be shy, ask anybody who looks like they know where they are going if you are in doubt about where you are headed.
Also - no skids on Old Chevy.
Have fun! TRAIL CONDITIONS...
From Long Mile Rd
There is a Visitor Centre in Long Mile Rd where you can get up to date information and maps.
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 Long Mile Rd from Tarawera Rd and cross the gate to head up the tarsealed climb of Nursery Road. The trail system has entrances at the top of the hill.
From Green Lake Lookout Carpark
A great place to start for some different/big loops.
The first portion of the trail at this entrance is a shared track - so please watch for people, dogs etc.
A good choice from here is to ride up Tikitapu Rd to Morerangi (to the top) then to Split Enz and all the way through to Chinese Menu and then Pipeline Rd back to the Blue lake. (Big loop - fun trails)
This carpark is behind the Blue Lake at the top of the hill. Follow Tarawera Rd some 8kms from the round-about at Te Ngae & Tarawera.
Remember to lock your car & keep all valuables out of sight. Rotorua has its share of a'holes that will wreck your holidays if you aren't careful.
Stay safe in Rotorua...
Our town is a great place to visit.
However, there are always some dos and don'ts to make your stay safer and more enjoyable.
Event & Venues is part of the Rotorua District Council. They've published a flyer giving you some key information about all this. You can download it HERE...
