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Eastbourne

LOW

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UTT

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PPER HU

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Lake Ferry

Petone

Kaitoke

Summ

it Tunnel

Cross Creek

Pakuratahi R.

Akatarawa R.

Wainuiom

ata

Western Lake Road

Orongorongo Coast Road

Rimutaka

Rail Trail

Corner Creek

Maym

orn

WELLIN

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FEATHERSTO

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Lake Wairarapa

RI M

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AK

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RA

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Orongorongo R.

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RU

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Palliser BayTurakirae H

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Hutt R.

Ruamahanga R.

L. Onoke

Ocean Beach

North

Here riders may opt to turn north-east on Western Lake Road to the town of Featherston (12km) to finish their day’s ride, or continue through to Ocean Beach.

The trail turns south-west and runs along the shores of Lake Wairarapa through ‘big sky country’. Sheep and cattle can be seen grazing, as they have done since the 19th century. Towards the coast riders pass Lake Onoke, part of the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Park, where indigenous and migratory waterbirds flock and were used as a food and material resource by local Maori for centuries.

Riders reach the big blue of Cook Strait at the Kiwi baches of Ocean Beach.

Petone Foreshore to Maymorn

Cross Creekto Ocean Beach

SECTION 1SECTION 3

(36 km, 2-3 hours, Grade 3 intermediate [ON ROad]) (35 km, 3-5 hours, Grade 2 easY)

Through a broad river valley to bush-clad hills and gullies; from lakeside farmland to rugged southern coastline, the Rimutaka Cycle Trail is a journey through distinctive New Zealand landscapes.

Riders uncover traces of New Zealand’s rich heritage; ancient Maori settlement sites, European colonial history and the legacy of stone and steel from the days of steam-powered rail. Beneath it all is a unique geological landscape visibly shaped by millennia of seismic upheaval.

Situated on the doorstep of New Zealand’s ‘coolest little capital’, Wellington, the trail connects the city with the expansive Wairarapa Valley. It is suitable for a range of ages and abilities, and can be ridden in sections over one, two or three days.

The Rimutaka Cycle Trail is one of New Zealand’s Great Rides, and a part of Nga Haerenga – The New Zealand Cycle Trail.

total trail lenGth: approx 115km

www.rimutakacycletrail.comFOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RIMUTAKA CYCLE TRAIL VISIT

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WELLINGTON

www.WellingtonNZ.com

Bookings and information:

Wellington i-site Visitor Centre

Civic square

Corner Victoria & Wakefield streets

Wellington

p: +64 4 802 4860

e: bookings@WellingtonnZ.com

UPPER HUTT CITY

www.upperhuttcity.com

Bookings and information:

upper hutt i-site Visitor Centre

expressions arts and

entertainment Centre

836 Fergusson drive

upper hutt

p: +64 4 527 2168

e: upperhutt@i-site.org

HUTT CITY

www.huttvalleynz.com

Bookings and information:

hutt City i-site Visitor Centre

the pavilion

25 laings rd

lower hutt

p: +64 4 560 4715

e: info@huttvalleynz.com

WAIRARAPA

www.wairarapanz.com

Bookings and information:

masterton i-site Visitor Centre

Cnr of Bruce & dixon streets

masterton

p: +64 6 370 0900

e: info@wairarapanz.com

martinborough i-site Visitor

Centre

18 kitchener st

martinborough

p: +64 6 306 5010

e: martinborough@wairarapanz.com

For comprehensive information about accommodation, food & beverage, sights & activities, and bookings on the different sections of the trail, contact:

From the foreshore at Petone through riverside parkland, the first section of the ride follows the popular Hutt River Trail. This family-friendly section is perfect for a casual ride, or as an enjoyable warm up before the more technical forested section.

Some of the earliest stories of New Zealand’s cultural history are told along the way. Riders pass both the sites of great Maori pa (fortified villages) and early European settlements. The Petone Settlers Museum and Boulcott’s Farm Incident site bear witness to the hardiness and volatility of two peoples learning to live alongside each other.

Eventually leaving the riverbank at Te Marua, riders follow a short road section to Tunnel Gully which marks the second part of the trail.

Threaded through the Rimutaka Ranges, the second section is a journey into New Zealand’s past. Riders follow the old railway route, established in 1878 to connect the population centres with the rich farmland beyond.

Full of photo opportunities, the trail plunges through restored rail tunnels and crosses picturesque bridges spanning the Pakuratahi River. Through a mix of native bush and plantation forest the route is a moderate climb to Summit, followed by an entertaining downhill section which includes tunnels up to 584m long.

Riders pass through the old railyards and follow the descent path of the historic Fell Locomotive Incline. Visit the museum in nearby Featherston to learn more about this triumph of Victorian engineering.

Riders emerge from the ranges at Cross Creek, into the wide-open expanse of the Wairarapa Valley.

Maymorn to Cross Creek

SECTION 2

(25 km, 3-4 hours, Grade 2-3 easY to intermediate)

WELLINGTON – WAIRARAPA

The final section of the trail takes in the rugged beauty of the South Coast. On a clear day, the snow-capped peaks of the South Island’s Kaikoura Ranges are visible across Cook Strait. Much of the land is part of the Orongorongo Station, one of the longest established farming operations in New Zealand.

at Turakirae Head, riders will find unique, geological raised beaches. Formed by a series of tectonic uplifts over the past 7000 years, three of the five ‘beaches’ are visible as distinct ridges on the coastline. The headland is also home to a colony of up to 500 fur seals each winter.

The trail then runs north to the mouth of the Orongorongo River where the Wainuiomata Coast Road provides a link back to the city of Wellington.

Ocean Beachto Orongorongo

SECTION 4

(18 km, 3-5 hours, Grade 3 intermediate)

openinG soon