MOTU Trails
GREAT RIDE • MOTU TRAILS
Motu Trails © Studio Zag
TRAIL INFO BEST FOR: A challenge steeped in reward, no matter what your ability.
ŌPŌTIKI to MATAWAI 1-3 days
121km
Many great things come in threes: musketeers, French hens and the Bee Gees. And if you’re a keen cyclist – the Motu Trails.
F
eaturing three wildly different rides, this year-round track can be completed as a full 91km loop or as separate sections, but this will depend entirely on your fitness and ability.
The Dunes Trail kick-starts the mission, starting from the Pākōwhai ki Otutaopuku Bridge (Memorial Park) in Ōpotiki. Considered the easiest section of the three, a softly undulating pathway skims the edge
Pakihi Track, Motu Trails © Jim Robinson
SEE P 51 FOR A CONNECTING HEARTLAND RIDE 46
of the Pacific Ocean, providing plenty of opportunity for seaside picnics and refreshing dips. Enjoy this leisurely amble before entering the second phase of your journey. The Grade 3 Motu Rail Trail is an historic byway that will test your fitness. Diverting away from the coast, the track climbs 800m inland via unsealed roads, forest and farmland. Don’t be put off by the mention of road, this spectacularly remote section is seldom used by cars. You’re now on course for the third and most challenging section of the trail: the Pākihi Track. Buckle in for a sensational 21km Grade 4 trail that’s been weaving its way through these parts for over 100 years. Delve into mature forest and bushy backcountry terrain, follow the Pākihi River and then ascend sharply, navigating 25 bridges and exposed cliff edge. Advanced riders will be in their element but take extra care in winter when land slips and wind falls can be hazardous. Once back in Ōpotiki, your journey is complete. TOP TIP – If you’re not inclined to conquer the hardest part, the Pākihi Track, divert off the Motu Road Trail towards Motu Falls and Matawai town, where shuttles depart.
1-3 Days 10-91km
TRAIL GRADES: DUNES TRAIL GRADE 2 (EASY) MOTU RD TRAIL GRADE 3 (INTERMEDIATE) PĀKIHI TRACK GRADE 4 (ADVANCED) MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE: Limited outside of Ōpōtiki, very patchy on the Motu Rd and nonexistent on the Pākihi Track. REFRESHMENTS: Dunes Trail riders will readily find refreshments in Ōpōtiki and a shop midway along the trail. Inland, there’s a shop in Matawai. Motu Rd and Pākihi Track riders should be self-sufficient and carry plenty of water and food. TYPE OF BIKE: Hybrid or touring bikes with knobbly tyres are fine for the Dunes Trail, but a mountain bike is recommended on the rougher Motu and Pākihi trails. E-bikes are welcome, so long as you have good battery capacity on the Motu Rd. You must be able to lift/carry the e-bike on the Pākihi Track. GRADE 2 (EASY) GRADE 3 (INTERMEDIATE) GRADE 4 (ADVANCED)
