GREAT LAKE Epic lake views © Cam McKenzie
BEST FOR: Epic lake views – towering volcanic cliffs, lush native bush, deep gorges, sparking waterfalls.
WAIHAHA to WHAKAIPO BAY 1-3 days
84km
If the idea of riding the rim of a super volcano isn’t enough, then perhaps the promise of volcanic gorges, waterfalls and beautiful beaches will get you on the saddle. With switchbacks and speedy descents, the Great Lake Trails is not only scenic, it’s seriously good fun.
Highlights of the trail • Kawakawa Bay is small, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in aesthetics. • Sleepy Kinloch is a 20-minute drive from Taupō township with good cafés and a sandy bay. Three of the four trail sections are accessed from here, so it makes a good base. • Kinloch Club is an awardwinning golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. • The large rocky overhang at
Echo Rock looms over the trail like a frozen stone waterfall. • Uphill slogs provide elevated views of Lake Taupō and the mountain peaks in Tongariro National Park. • In the Waihaha section, discover a secret waterfall hidden deep in the Waihaha Valley and some secluded swimming spots. • Come summer, you’ll want to swim in the pretty bays lapped by aqua-blue water.
A
s the result of one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in history, Lake Taupō’s enormous crater is lined with pumice which has created free-draining soils meaning all-season terrain and year-round riding. This Grade 3 trail straddles the north-western corner of Lake Taupō and is split into three sections comprising the Waihaha, Kawakawa and Whakaipo sections. Each section is easily accessible from the lively hub of Kinloch and can be ridden in various combinations, or tackled all-in-one over the course of one to three days. Those taking on the entire stretch tend to work from the west to the east. Depending on your chosen route, shuttles may be required. There is now a choice of water taxis to transport cyclists to four points along the trail with a water taxi service taking trail users back to Kinloch or Taupō town! Built for mountain bikers by mountain bikers, the trail is heaven for fans of single-trail riding, while the epic view over the lake and distant volcanoes offer a welcomed distraction. Expect long downhills as well as few challenging climbs, plenty of switchbacks and gorgeous little bays beckoning you in for dips.
More mountain biking, please The 42 Traverse is known as the greatest mountain bike ride in the North Island, while the Rotary Ride traces the Waikato River for 6km all the way to Huka Falls. The Craters Mountain Bike Park is located on the outskirts of Taupō in Wairākei Forest and also connects to the Rotary Ride. Families tend to like the Huka Falls to Aratiatia Dam Trail.
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GREAT RIDE • GREAT LAKE TRAILS
Trails
