EXPLORE THE BAY BY BIKE

The Bay of Plenty is a dream for off-road cyclists of every skill level. Scenic tracks range from an easy family cruise to adrenalin-fuelled mountain biking across spectacular terrain.

Experienced and advanced riders will love the Ōropi Grove Mountain Bike Park on the outskirts of Tauranga. TECT All Terrain Park, also near Tauranga, is a must for adventure lovers, offering dozens of trails set amongst 1,650 hectares of pine forest and native bush. For serious downhill adventures, visit Summerhill Recreation Farm for a hit of real wheeled adventure!

Visit the Mountain Bike Tauranga club website for more information about riding in the Bay.

Tourism BOP 2018 ALL Proofs 273 of 625

SUMMERHILL RECREATION FARM

Summerhill Recreation Farm is privately owned land that is open to the public for mountain biking. Most of the well-marked trails are single track for bikes only but a few are shared with walkers.

Approximately 20-kilometres of mainly grade 3 trails have been built and maintained by local mountain-bikers. The tracks go through a mixture of native forest, rolling farmland, swooping single-track, and a purpose-built skills area with dirt jumps and structures. Trails are suitable for everyone from the first-time mountain biker to experienced riders. Summerhill has car parking and toilets and is open from dawn to dusk, 7 days a week. A gold coin entry fee contributes to on-going maintenance and development.

TECT Park aerial shot credit Ray Blennerhassett

TECT ALL TERRAIN PARK

The grade 4-5 trails in the TECT All Terrain Park combine obstacles such as jumps, drops, berms and bumps and there’s also a raft of downhill and freeride trails to tackle. The park boasts several trails including 'Buffalo Girl', 'Lookout', 'Uno' (Family Trail), 'Mickey Mouse' (Kids loop) and a pump track.

There is a trail map in the mountain bike park car park. TECT All Terrain Park is situated off State Highway 36 (Pyes Pā Road), 29-kilometres from Tauranga, 27-kilometres from Rotorua and 30-kilometres from Te Puke. There is limited to no cell phone coverage. Toilets are provided at the mountain bike car park and Arrival Centre. Some tracks are shared with walkers. The Park’s hours are from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm in summer, and from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from Labour Weekend to Easter.

Olly Dow Oropi MTB Park

ŌROPI GROVE MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK

A mountain biker’s playground, Ōropi Grove is Tauranga's longest-serving mountain bike park. The Park includes cross-country, downhill and freeride terrain featuring a variety of purpose-built jumps and drops. The trails are mixed grades from 6 (difficult/Expert/Extreme) through to Grade 2 (family/easy/gentle).

Your first visit to Ōropi Grove should include the ‘Park Loop Ride.’ This track is an 8.5-kilometres (40-minutes) loop aimed at the average rider and covers most of the Parks 2-4 graded trails. Start at the Ōropi Road car park.

Motu Road v2

MOTU TRAILS

Motu Trails in the eastern Bay of Plenty will take you past stunning beaches and through lush native forest in Whakatāne. The Dunes Trail section of the Motu Trails takes you on a well-formed track through the marvellous dune-scape adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. The grade 2 Dunes Trail undulates past Hikuwai and Tirohonga Beaches where you can leave your bike and plunge headfirst into the pristine waters for a refreshing dip whenever you need a cool off.

There are plenty of stop-off points along the way that provide an opportunity to soak up the vistas and learn about the rich history of the Ōpōtiki District.

Whirinaki Mountain biking

WHIRINAKI FOREST

Due to recent weather events, this track is currently closed. For more information see here

A 1.5-hour drive inland from Whakatāne will lead you to an untouched natural wonderland at Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park. The Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne mountain bike trail is perfect for beginner and intermediate mountain bikers and is a 16-kilometre (2 to 4 hour) loop. For the more experienced, the Moerangi trail is considered a ‘must-do’ among biking enthusiasts, climbing 1,000 metres and offering sensational rewards.

MountainBike008

WAITEKOHEKOHE RECREATIONAL PARK

The Waitekohekohe Recreational Reserve is in Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park and covers an area of 88 hectares. The Waitekohekohe name was gifted by local hapu (sub-tribe) Ngāi Tamawhariua and refers to spiritual waters, a sense of yearning and climbing. The reserve is owned by the Western Bay District Council and the trails have been built by Rob Metz of Zerode Bikes.

The mountain bike trail carpark is situated at 360 Thompsons Track, Katikati. Starting with a beginner loop (grade 1) this track weaves its way through the small pines. The grade 2, 3 and 4 tracks are all downhill. Riders need to either make use of the forestry tracks to head back to the top of the trails or weave their way via the grade 3 uphill track. Riding all trails will take about an hour. There are plans underway to construct additional grade four tracks through the native bush area.

The Waitekohekohe Recreational Reserve also has swimming holes and equestrian tracks. Visit the website for more information.

Caroline Boyle Paengaroa to Rotoiti paddocks

KAIKŌKOPU – PAENGAROA TO OKERE FALLS

Designed for fitter and more adventurous cyclists who will enjoy the challenge of tackling undulating terrain through beautiful native bush, kiwifruit orchards and farmland. This trail includes stunning views of the Bay of Plenty coast and offshore islands, as well as the lakes area north of Okere Falls, and features popular cafés at the start and finish.

For more information about how to access this trail, visit westernbay.govt.nz

More OUTDOOR ADVENTURES in the bay