THE TIMBER Trail
BEST FOR: Wilderness adventures into one of the world’s finest, most untouched rainforests.
PUREORA to ŌNGARUE 2 days
85km
Timbeeeeeeer! The cry that once resonated through Pureora Forest came to a welcome end in the 70s when activists put a stop to forest felling. Within years, nature reclaimed the trees.
B
efore 2013, when the Timber Trail officially debuted, Pureora Forest was little-known, but fast-forward nine years and this remote track, deep in the forested heart of the North Island, now offers total escapism for riders of every ilk.
The track snakes through spirited soils; a land where 800-year-old rimu and kahikatea trees tower 60m above the floor, and where one of the world’s rarest, last remaining podocarp forests remains intact. The only indication of human
GREAT RIDE • THE TIMBER TRAIL
SEE P 59 FOR A CONNECTING HEARTLAND RIDE
existence are 43 suspension bridges crossing streams and gorges. The most exhilarating being the 141m-long Maramataha suspension bridge which drapes itself over the treetops like a spider’s web. Other highlights include overnight stays at charming Blackfern Lodge, complete with its whio (blue duck) recovery programme, or the more intrepid Piropiro Flats’ campsite. Close to the middle of the track and just after the Maramataha Bridge, you’ll strike a 3km uphill assault which is equal parts fatiguing and fulfilling, and is fortunately followed by a long downhill stretch on a former tramway. TOP TIP – The trail passes through subalpine environment with a high point of 971m; take warm clothes and wet weather gear whatever the forecast.
ADD-ON HEARTLAND TRAILS TIMBER TRAIL CONNECTION: 24km/2 hours – Quiet back roads allow riders to bridge the gap between the southern end of the Timber Trail and the main service town of Taumarunui, without a shuttle. CENTRE OF THE NORTH ISLAND: 50km/1 day – Linking the Waikato River Trails to the Timber Trail. Take the small detour to a monolith that marks the geographic centre of the North Island. ABOVE & TOP: © The Timber Trail
49
