Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest Loop Trail is one of the newest bike rides to be awarded the lofty accolade of New Zealand Great Ride classification.
This, and Central Otago’s Lake Dunstan Trail are the first new cycle trails to be added to the New Zealand Ngā Haerenga Great Rides network in a decade, taking the number up to 23.
“We’re off to the Redwoods” is a refrain I often hear amongst my friends well versed in the wonders of this popular mountain biking destination (also known as Whakarewarewa Forest). With the opening of the Forest Loop Trail, I have become just one more keen biker who keeps going back for another ride.
The Whakarewarewa Forest Loop in Rotorua has some great downhill sections. Photo by Joel McDowell.
I’ve tackled this off-road, approximately 35-kilometre, mountain biking loop half-a-dozen times and it never fails to deliver joy. Blasé has no place on this bike ride, and – for me – neither has silent joy. I’ve found the “wows” and “yeehaas” can’t be controlled; nor can the face-splitting grin. That’s thanks to the still water views, the majestic towering Redwoods and the wonderfully lengthy and plentiful swooping downhill stretches.
The development of this beautiful loop trail includes construction of Te Pūtake o Tawa – the carpark and mountain bike hub on Tarawera Road. It is here that my biking buddies tend to meet.
This trail entrance works well for those who set their sights high – both in terms of gradient and grade – and for my likeminded friends addicted to the scenic Grade 2 loop around the whole forest. We go our separate up-or-around ways, meeting again about three hours later. It’s possible to shave time off; e-bikes help, and the track is most certainly suitable for them. But we don’t have e-bikes and also we stop along the way. Stop number one is to soak in the view, stop number two is sustenance-related.
There are plenty of views worth admiring on the Whakarewarewa Forest Loop. Photo by Graeme Murray.
Entering the forest, there’s the early thrill of the trail travelling close to the intense blue of Tikitapu Lake juxtaposed a short while later by the serenity of Rotokakahi, the Green Lake. There’s no boating, swimming, or fishing on the latter lake given its sacred status. The trail looks down on Rotokakahi and offers a perfect vantage point where the peacefulness is wonderful. Grooves hewn out of a massive reclining tree trunk create a Flintstone-esque bike stand, indicating we're not the only ones who consider this a mandatory soak-in-the-view stop.
The circuit also takes in views of Lake Rotorua, Rotorua itself and both native and exotic forest. Much of the ride is under forest canopy, which adds to the ethereal magic and is a pleasant relief on hot summer days. The trail includes an eponymous Redwood grove where the stillness and majesty exude a sense of reverence and always gets one of my “wows”, quietly uttered in awe. There are also geothermal features to look out for and impossible-to-miss spectacular Māori carvings to behold, including the taonga that stand sentinel at the Te Pūtake o Tawa entrance to the forest.
Of course, it’s not just the views that feature high on the enjoyment radar… it’s the feels. It’s a high-quality, physical experience, with the climbs (nothing too taxing) rewarded by gravity-fuelled fun (sweeping, not treacherous, downhills).
The forest loop ride needs to be ridden clockwise; most segments are one-way for safety, which is especially good to know if you can’t resist tackling the downhill sections at speed.
While we kick off at Te Pūtake o Tawa, Waipa carpark off State Highway 5 is generally considered the main access point. This is also where Trail Kitchen can be found – one of the trail’s great human-made wonders; coffee, a smoothie, or fries and aioli offer just the recharge needed before tackling the last 11 kilometres.
There are plenty of attractions to discover on the Whakarewarewa Forest Loop. Photo by Graeme Murray.
Other than enjoying the café there’s also the option of heading to the secluded Secret Spot Hot Tubs from here; it’s a mere stroll from the carpark into the forest.
In fact, there’s a bit happening at both carparks, such as toilets and showers, bike-related retail outlets, places to rent bikes, take shuttles and view information boards. These boards do their very best to outline the wonder of the 180km of wending trails with biking, walking and horse trekking opportunities, and the trails are well signposted with maps at key junctions throughout the forest.
My soul tells me a day on the bike in Whakarewarewa Forest is a fortifying experience, while my body sings “well done”. Such a wonderful experience is made all the better with a stop at Okere Falls Store on the way home for mandatory stop number three. Here, over a beer or wine (mulled in winter), we revel in the many shared highlights of a mighty fine day on the trails and plan our next jaunt.
Story by Monique Balvert-O’Connor for the Winter 2023 issue of AA Directions magazine.
Explore more from AA Directions magazine while you're here:
- World champion boxer Mea Motu shares her favourite things about living in New Zealand
- A cruisy family road trip from Auckland to Cambridge in an EV
- We investigate the history, psychology and safety of different car colours
