4 minute read
Ride the Roxburgh Gorge Trail
ALEXANDRA to ROXBURGH DAM - 1 DAY - 34KM
© AA Traveller 2021
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© AA Traveller 2021
Roxburgh Gorge Trail © Will Nelson
Travelling from Alexandra to Roxburgh (or vice versa) this trail skirts the Clutha Mata-au River, darting between sweeping willows and during springtime, the heady buds of fragrant thyme. In between soaring river cliffs and desert-like landscape, the route is sprinkled with remnants from the gold-rush era, including schist huts. These small den-like shelters were built into rockfaces by miners and offer a fascinating peek into the past. Years before these dwellings existed, the pathway was also trodden by early Māori moa hunters trekking from mountains to sea in pursuit of the prize.
The earlier sections of the Roxburgh Trail are just a taster of the fascinations to come; between Doctors Pt and Shingle Creek, the track becomes inaccessible and riders are required to fill the missing link with a 45-minute jet-boat ride. Deep inside the gorge are some of the most visually spectacular sights of the trip, and an isolation that many will deem a rare treat these days. Once off the boat, the ride turns into a steady climb out of the gorge, but the impressive views of Roxburgh Hydro Dam will counter the saddle pain. Soon after, Roxburgh Village comes into view, signalling the ride’s conclusion.
Fruit stall in Central Otago © Central Otago Tourism
Alexandra to Doctors Point, 10km
The trail starts at the Clutha Mata-au River near Alexandra’s Blue Bridge. Stranded in the river alongside it are the remaining piers of the original suspension bridge, built in 1882. Weathered relics of a bygone era, these monumental pillars are an apt gateway to the journey ahead. The trail passes through a forest of silver poplars now covering Frenchman’s Point, formerly rich gold deposit workings. It then enters the narrow Roxburgh Gorge, flanked by bluffs up to 350m high. The wide, smooth trail passes Ketts Gully with its massive stacked rock walls, sporting several old rock bivvies and huts. The trail keeps meandering gently towards Butchers Creek, an old gold-mining site. It continues winding through the gorge, climbing a zigzag to access The Narrows, an ancient rock slide where care is required to negotiate the narrower trail section and boardwalk. Doctors Point appears all too soon. This is the pick-up point for the 13km jet-boat trip bridging the missing link. The 45min boat tour down river is a highly memorable way to delve deeper into the gorge’s history.
Shingle Creek Jetty to Roxburgh Dam, 11km
Disembarking at Shingle Creek jetty, riders commence a gentle climb up to Elbow Creek, each bend offering a different view of the river below. The river slows and widens as it forms Lake Roxburgh, the waters of which drive the power station ahead. With pretty islets in the lake and broad views of the surroundings, this is a lovely but quite different stretch of trail. A series of switchbacks lead to a fitting finale, the impressive Roxburgh Hydro Dam lookout. The trail ends at Commissioner’s Flat car park, starting point of the Clutha Gold Trail that can be followed for an additional 9km or so to reach Roxburgh township.
Grapes grown in Central Otago © Central Otago Tourism
FRUIT-GROWING HUB - Taste the exquisite fruits of summer and autumn – cherries, apricots, plums, nectarines, peaches, pears, berries and apples are available at roadside orchard stalls, along with fresh vegetables, preserves and juices.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAIL
• Alexandra is your starting point or finish line. Nip into the small but informative museum and tell the time by the enormous clock on the hill.
Walking in Alexandra © Central Otago Tourism
• Roxburgh Gorge hosts some of the best-preserved relics of Chinese miners’ rock shelters in Otago.
• Pedal past the gorge’s narrow runnels, flanked by cliff bluffs that reach 350m.
• The rugged bluffs and rock forms that define this area are home to several interesting birdlife species, including kārearea, our native falcon.
• Seasonal diversity means that the trail can be bathed in verdant green, autumnal golds, steely greys or the herbaceous colours of ‘spring thyme’ (springtime thyme).
• While jet boating on the river, look out for miner’s dwellings, there’s even a little schist hotel and pioneer’s pub to spy.
• Enjoy some fun switchbacks that climb gently to a vantage point over Roxburgh Hydro Dam. This concrete beast powers almost 200,000 homes.
• Cruise down Clutha River, or take a 12km detour from Alexandra to the bonnie town of Clyde. Many of Clyde’s surviving gold-rush buildings have been carefully restored.
• Scenic Lake Roxburgh offers kayaking tours and is flush with brown and rainbow trout.
Cycling in Clyde © Dunedin Tourism
