Best Mountain Bike Trails in Kaikoura District

OPEN

Advanced

2.8 km

13m

-459m

4h 15m

This trail utilises well worn animal tracks and natural terrain to provide a taste for roots, rocks, narrow and off-camber sections in a less intimidating environment than our other natural/ hand dug trails.

OPEN

Extremely difficult

3.2 km

3m

-1027m

Baarbie DH is a PRO LINE - not the trail for your average rider! This is Morgz's space to get creative and build what he wants to ride, and believe me, he hasn't held back.There are plenty of unmarked features including rock gardens, very steep sections, big gap jumps and drops, with no marked B line. It's essential to roll through and scope it out before attempting a top to bottom, and recommended to ride wit someone who knows the track.

OPEN

Easy

387m

-38m

7h 3m

Built for the Birthday Bike Race (our annual event for local children to have a go at racing), this trail is a really good introduction to riding downhill, with wide bermed corners and an easy gradient. It can also be used as an up track, leading you on to an old farm track. You can use the upper section of the trail to link up the bike park with the access track (Take Me To The River).

OPEN

Intermediate

1.4m

-163m

10h 24m

Flowing trail through the trees, with lots of corners and a gentle gradient; a great place to get used to your bike, or refine your cornering.Some parts of this trail are part of the uphill pedal access route. Please read and respect all signage.

Built during the Covid-19 lockdown by three French riders stranded at Middle Hill, this trail brings something completely different to the park. Tight, steep, technical and with huge mandatory gaps, this one is strictly only for those who know what they're doing. If you don't want to drop in off the log at the top, don't drop in at all!

OPEN

Intermediate

27.4m

1216m

-911m

182h 48m

The primary access is over Blind Saddle, leaving from the Kahutara River bridge on the Inland Kaikoura road. It's a decent climb up to the top at around 1200m, with great views back to the Inland Road and down to the coast. Looking toward the Clarence River from the top reveals the vastness of this high country. You will see weird rock formations and the remnants of fences and historic huts from farming days as you make your way down to the Seymour Stream. Following the Seymour brings you to the Clarence River and Forbes Hut (previously Seymour Hut).There are many opportunities for adventure beyond Forbes Hut. Up the Clarence, under the imposing Dillion Cone is the Palmer Hut. Turn off 2 km up the Seymour from the Clarence for the track to Palmer Hut. Following the track down the Clarence will take you across Quail flat and eventually Goose Flat Hut, 22 km down river from Forbes Hut.To get out of the valley, it's the same way you came in.

OPEN

Extremely difficult

576m

-123m

2h 41m

Hand dug technical trail with rock gardens, steep, tight, off camber corners and a gap jump half way down.

OPEN

Very difficult

667m

23m

-81m

2h 56m

Tight and techy hand dug trail through the Kanuka trees, with a huge dropping corner half way through, and a short pinch at the end to get back on to DDT or Wild Boarz.

OPEN

Easy

2.5m

-57m

17h 31m

The Hapuku Trail follows the Hapuku River down to the Hapuku High bridge, link up with lovers lane under the highway bridge. Can be ridden both ways, part of the Kaikoura Trail Route.