Cycle Trails in New Zealand: One Near Each of Our 20 Cities

From Pohe Island in Whangārei to the Waihōpai River in Invercargill, here’s one ride near every Explore city, picked from each city’s own cycling guide. Eight are Great Rides of the NZ Cycle Trail; the rest are the local favourites, from flat family paths to mountain bike parks.

Updated November 2026 · Built from the 20 Explore city guides

At a glance

North Island

Pohe Island, central Whangārei

Pohe Island Bike Park

• Free
• Pump track
• All ages

A free bike park on Pohe Island with an 800 m circuit, an asphalt pump track and a learners' skills area, open to bikes, BMX, scooters and skateboards. It joins the Hātea Loop shared path, so you can ride there from the Town Basin without touching a road.

Full guide on Explore WhangāreiMore cycle trails near Whangārei

Waimauku, about 40 min north-west of the CBD

Woodhill Mountain Bike Park

• Trail pass
• 50+ km singletrack
• Bike hire

Auckland's main purpose-built mountain bike park, in the pine plantation of Woodhill Forest. More than 50 km of singletrack runs from easy green loops to technical lines, with a café, bike hire and a mechanic on site; you need a trail pass to ride.

Full guide on Explore AucklandMore cycle trails near Auckland

Clevedon to Kaiaua, across the Hūnua Ranges

Hūnua Traverse

• Grade 4
• 1,100 m+ climbing
• E-bike friendly

A Heartland Ride over the Hūnua Ranges between Clevedon village and Kaiaua, ridden either way. It's for fit, experienced riders: more than 1,100 m of climbing on roughly half sealed, half gravel road, much of it on Watercare service roads through the regional park.

Full guide on Explore PukekoheMore cycle trails near Pukekohe

Ngāruawāhia to Lake Karapiro, through the city

Te Awa River Ride

• Free
• Mostly concrete
• Bike hire

A wide, mostly concrete path that follows the Waikato River for 65 km, from Ngāruawāhia through Hamilton and Cambridge to Lake Karapiro. Most of it is easy riding with river views, boardwalks and bridges, and you can hire bikes at Hamilton Gardens.

Full guide on Explore HamiltonMore cycle trails near Hamilton

Central Tauranga, around the estuary

Waikareao Estuary Walkway

• Flat
• Free
• Several entry points

A flat 9 km loop around the Waikareao Estuary on boardwalks, bridges and sealed and gravel paths, shared by walkers and cyclists of all ages. You can start at Chapel Street, Waihi Road and several other points, and the full loop takes about two hours at an easy pace.

Full guide on Explore TaurangaMore cycle trails near Tauranga

Whakarewarewa Forest (the Redwoods), 5 min from town

Whakarewarewa Forest Mountain Biking

• Free entry
• 180 to 300 km
• Grades 1 to 6

One of the country's best-known mountain bike forests, with trails through native bush and the famous redwoods. Entry is free and open any time; the two riding hubs are Waipā off State Highway 5 and Te Pūtake o Tawa, and forestry work closes some trails from time to time.

Full guide on Explore RotoruaMore cycle trails near Rotorua

Wairakei Drive, 3 km north of Taupō

Craters Mountain Bike Park

• Day pass $10
• Year-round riding
• Bike hire

About 50 km of singletrack through pine and eucalyptus forest beside the Craters of the Moon geothermal area. The pumice soil drains fast, so it rides well all year; riders need a Bike Taupō membership or a visitor pass, and there's bike hire and a café at the hub.

Full guide on Explore TaupōMore cycle trails near Taupō

Starts at Matawai, inland on State Highway 2

Motu Trails

• Great Ride
• Mostly gravel
• Toilets at each end

The Gisborne end of the Motu Trails Great Ride is the Motu Road Trail: 67 km of mostly gravel road from Matawai over the ranges towards Ōpōtiki, with more downhill than up in that direction. Linked with the Pākihi Track and Dunes Trail it makes a 91 km loop over two or three days.

Full guide on Explore GisborneMore cycle trails near Gisborne

Marine Parade, central Napier

Marine Parade Walkway & Cycleway

• Flat
• Sealed
• Wheelchair friendly

A sealed, mostly traffic-free path along the Marine Parade from the foot of Bluff Hill past the National Aquarium to the Tūtaekurī River, lined with Norfolk pines and Art Deco views. It's part of the wider Hawke's Bay Trails, so you can carry on for a longer ride.

Full guide on Explore NapierMore cycle trails near Napier

Hastings, Havelock North, Clive and Napier

Hawke's Bay Trails

• Great Ride
• Open all year
• Mostly flat

The regional council calls it the largest network of easy cycle trails in the country: nearly 200 km of mostly lime-sand paths linking Hastings, Havelock North, Clive and Napier. Pick the Water, Wineries or Landscapes ride, each with views of the coast, vineyards or Te Mata Peak.

Full guide on Explore HastingsMore cycle trails near Hastings

Port Taranaki to Bell Block Beach

New Plymouth Coastal Walkway

• Paved
• Sea views
• Te Rewa Rewa Bridge

A paved path along the sea edge from Pioneer Park at the port to Bell Block Beach, used by walkers, riders, skaters and mobility scooters. It passes the Wind Wand and crosses the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, and you can join it at plenty of points with parking.

Full guide on Explore New PlymouthMore cycle trails near New Plymouth

Ruapehu to the Tasman Sea; finishes in Whanganui

Mountains to Sea Ngā Ara Tūhono

• Great Ride
• Jet boat section
• 4 to 6 days

A Great Ride from the slopes of Mt Ruapehu through Tongariro and Whanganui national parks to the North Mole at Whanganui, with a 32 km jet boat ride on the river. Most of it is grade 3, and the last two sections, the River Road and Upokongaro to the sea, start on the city's doorstep.

Full guide on Explore WhanganuiMore cycle trails near Whanganui

Central city to Massey University and Linton

He Ara Kotahi Pathway

• Flat
• Sealed
• Suspension bridge

The city's main shared path, crossing the Manawatū River on a suspension bridge to Massey University and Linton Military Camp. Its name, gifted by Rangitāne o Manawatū, means a pathway that brings people together, and the flat sealed surface suits families and commuters.

Full guide on Explore Palmerston NorthMore cycle trails near Palmerston North

Petone Wharf to the Wairarapa coast

Remutaka Cycle Trail

• Great Ride
• Free
• 2 to 3 days

A Great Ride from Petone Wharf up the Hutt River and over the old Remutaka Incline railway, then down to the wild Wairarapa coast. Most riders take two to three days; the climb over the Remutaka summit is the hard part, and the trail itself is free.

Full guide on Explore WellingtonMore cycle trails near Wellington

South Island

A loop from Nelson through Richmond, Motueka and Kaiteriteri

Tasman's Great Taste Trail

• Great Ride
• Two-thirds off-road
• Day or multi-day

A loop out of Nelson through Richmond, Wakefield, Motueka and Kaiteriteri on coastal paths, rural roads and forest sections, mostly grade 1 to 2. Wineries, breweries and beaches sit along the way, and bike hire and shuttles make it easy to ride a section as a day trip.

Full guide on Explore NelsonMore cycle trails near Nelson

Marlborough Sounds, 30 min drive then a water taxi

Queen Charlotte Track

• Great Ride
• Land pass needed
• 2 to 3 days by bike

A ridgeline trail from Meretoto/Ship Cove to Anakiwa with views over Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru sounds, shared by walkers and riders. Mountain bikers take two to three days; it's open to bikes all year, and you need a land-access pass for the private sections.

Full guide on Explore BlenheimMore cycle trails near Blenheim

Hornby to Little River on Banks Peninsula

Little River Rail Trail

• Great Ride
• Mostly flat
• Cafés on the way

A shared path along the old Little River branch railway, from Hornby across the Canterbury Plains, past farmland, wetlands and lakes to Little River. It's mostly flat, with toilets and cafés at Prebbleton, Lincoln and Little River, so it makes an easy day ride.

Full guide on Explore ChristchurchMore cycle trails near Christchurch

Aoraki/Mt Cook or Takapō to Ōamaru

Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail

• Longest Great Ride
• 5 to 7 days
• Ride sections as day trips

The longest of the Great Rides, from the foot of Aoraki/Mt Cook (or from Takapō) past the Waitaki lakes to the coast at Ōamaru. The trail grades it easy to intermediate; the full ride takes five to seven days, but most sections work as day trips.

Full guide on Explore TimaruMore cycle trails near Timaru

Around Otago Harbour, Port Chalmers to Portobello

Otago Harbour Cycleway

• Free
• Mostly flat
• Ferry link

Te Aka Ōtākou follows the harbour edge from central Dunedin to Port Chalmers and Portobello on a mostly flat, paved path. Use the Port to Port ferry to make a loop; the path is free, and it's a good family ride when the wind is kind.

Full guide on Explore DunedinMore cycle trails near Dunedin

Northern Invercargill, along the Waihōpai River

Waihopai River Walkway

• Flat
• Free
• Several entry points

A flat 15 km loop on the stopbanks of the Waihōpai River, linking riverside reserves and suburbs in the north of the city. It's shared by walkers and riders, dogs are welcome on a lead, and you can join it from Queens Drive, North Road and several other streets.

Full guide on Explore InvercargillMore cycle trails near Invercargill

Before you ride

• Check the trail first. Slips, storm damage and forestry work close sections from time to time, and part of the Mangapurua Track on Mountains to Sea closes to bikes each winter. Each city guide links to the trail’s own updates page.
• Some need a pass. Woodhill and Craters charge for a trail pass or membership, and the Queen Charlotte Track needs a land-access pass for its private sections. The rest are free.
• Wear a helmet. It’s the law on a bike in New Zealand, on trails as well as roads.
• Know the grade. Grade 1 and 2 trails suit beginners and families; grade 3 and up mean hills, gravel and some skill.

Questions people ask

What are the Great Rides?

Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail, links 23 Great Rides around the country, plus Heartland Rides on quieter back roads. Eight of the picks here are Great Rides, from the Hawke’s Bay Trails to Alps 2 Ocean, and the Hūnua Traverse is a Heartland Ride. The NZ Cycle Trail site has maps and updates for all of them.

Which are easiest for kids and new riders?

The flat, sealed paths: the Marine Parade in Napier, the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, He Ara Kotahi in Palmerston North, the Waikareao Estuary loop in Tauranga and the Waihopai River Walkway in Invercargill. Pohe Island Bike Park in Whangārei is built for learners.

What is the longest cycle trail in New Zealand?

Of the Great Rides, Alps 2 Ocean is the longest, at about 316 km from Aoraki/Mt Cook to Ōamaru.

Where is the best mountain biking near a city?

Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua and Craters in Taupō are the big ones, with Woodhill near Auckland close behind. All three have bike hire nearby.

Looking for more in one city? See all 20 Explore city guides. Also see Waterfalls in New Zealand and Freedom camping in New Zealand.