Best Mountain Bike Trails in Mākara Peak Mountain Bike Park
Mākara Peak is Wellington's premier destination featuring over 50 kilometres of world-class singletrack through 250 hectares of regenerating native bush, just 20 minutes from downtown. The park offers everything from high-speed flow trails and beginner-friendly undulating tracks to technical downhill terrain, plus a stunning 72-metre suspension bridge and panoramic views across Wellington Harbour and Cook Strait.
Trails
Showing 1 - 10 of 45 trails
Intermediate
2.5m
184m
-30m
20h
Moderate gradient climbing track from the end of Missing Link to the Summit and part of the Grand Loop network of tracks. The first 1/3 of the track is the steepest before becoming gentler over the last 2/3. The main intermediate grade climb to the summit, via Upswing and the Wild at Heart suspension bridge joins Aratihi about 2/3 of the way up the climb.Built by Makara Peak volunteers from 2003-2006, a short section of new single track was built in 2019 by TGL and funded by WCC that bypasses the final pinch climb up the 4WD track to the summit.
Advanced
630.4m
33m
-42m
6h 36m
New exit out to South Karori Road from the bottom Leaping Lizard for those who don't want to have to climb back up into the park via Possum Bait Line. Makes Leaping Lizard a much more appealing prospect.Built by the Makara Peak Supporters and several corporate work parties over 2014.
Easy
173m
1m
-7m
1h 28m
A short piece of single track linking the hub at the end of Smokin, Starfish and Miro to the hub (picnic table and mapboard) at the end of Magic Carpet and Koru, and the start of Sally Alley, Lazy Fern and SWIGG. Relatively wide and a few basic rollers to keep things interesting.
Intermediate
894m
7m
-67m
2h 28m
Kārearea is a machine built grade 3 (intermediate/light blue) constructed by TGL and Slack Trails funded by Wellington City Council. Probably best described as flow-tech, with some flow and some awkward off-camber sections and tight corners.It starts at the top of Varley's, sharing the first 100m of track, before splitting off down the Karori side of the ridge. Easy to session in combination withT4.
Easy
1.6m
462m
-158m
16h 28m
This is the main entrance track into Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park from the entrance and carpark on South Karori Road. It was built by Makara Peak volunteers and WCC contractors in 1999/2000, and opened by the then Minister of Sport and Recreation, Tevor Mallard. The section between the skills area exit and Sally Alley was built by the Salvation Army Rimutaka Prison Conservation Corps in one week in May 2000. There was a major overhaul completed by WCC and Contractors in 2023-24 to fix drainage and widen the bench to make it easier for beginners.It begins at a moderate gradient above Karori Stream, before getting a touch steeper as it enters regenerating native bush and climbs through a series of three switchbacks. Afterwards the track continues up the hill with some brief flat or downhill sections to provide some respite for your legs. About two-thirds of the way up the hill you can exit onto a short connector that takes you to the skills area. The last third of the track is quite undulating, with less elevation gain making for a much gentler ride. At the end of Koru, you can return to the carpark via Lazy Fern (grade 2), SWIGG (grade 3), do a loop of Magic Carpet (grade 2), or continue on up the hill on Sally Alley towards the swing bridge and the summit.Due to the steady nature of the climb, and the narrowness of the track in some sections, some riders who are very new to mountain biking may prefer to practice their skills and get more comfortable by entering the park via the Allington Road entrance and using Rimu and Miro.
Advanced
135m
20m
-1m
1h
Extremely steep, physically demanding and technically challenging shortcut track that skips the lower switchbacks of Koru. Just when you think you're making progress you hit a series of rocks that make it even harder to keep moving forward. In the wet - don't bother.Probably closer to Expert grade given how steep it is.
Easy
1.7m
27m
-115m
10h 42m
Family friendly downhill trail back to the main entrance on South Karori Road. The trail is wider than the other tracks that return to the main entrance, with sweeping switchbacks, generally smooth surface and of a gentle downward gradient making this suitable for beginners, but can still be fun for those more advanced riders. This is the second half of the 'easy' loop that starts with the Koru uphill track. Lazy Fern starts across the 4WD track at the top of Koru and the track goes through some of the best bush that Makara Peak has to offer. Built by Makara Peak volunteers, WCC contractors and staff during 2006-2008. Had a major overhaul thanks to funding from WCC in 2022.
Advanced
2m
25m
-201m
7h 28m
One of the original Makara Peak trails and offers something different in the Wellington area. It's a fast rough and relatively wide plunge down the valley that suits big bikes and rewards staying off the brakes. It doesn't get a lot of maintenance, so the chutes near the bottom can change after heavy rain. It ends at the most remote part of the park at which point you can exit out via Bail Out to the end of South Karori Road, or climb back into the park via the steep and challenging Possum Bait Line. Track starts off with a fast roller coaster style downhill along an old farm 4WD track. You will pass a left hand branch that takes you down Nikau. From here the track switches back into single track, which is tight in places and increasingly steep and loose.
Advanced
900m
11m
-94m
7h 11m
Fun fast track with a natural surface. The track splits half way down with the Advanced line running on the right and the Expert Black) line running off to the left. The tracks rejoin and run out together.Built by Makara Peak volunteers in 1998 and 1999. Most of it was originally called Pylon 19.