Mountain Bike Trails in Port Hills East

Anaconda

A stunning downhill run with fantastic ocean views over Taylors Mistake. A well formed down hill track with smooth flowing berms that let you corner at speed. Some great sections that twist and turn and require a decent amount of concentration. Look out for the 1-2 foot jumps off to the side of the track.

Anaconda Taylors

Connector from Anaconda to Taylors.

Brownlee Reserve Zig Zag Trail

Captain Thomas Track

Single track begins on a smooth, well worn track surface. Through the middle section of the ride there are some rocky technical sections with large bluff drops to watch out for. Further on a sign indicates a new section of track that turns away downhill on the right. The old lower section has been retired due to rockfall issues. The track descends and then turns left, and the last section is just above a stream. The track crosses the stream, and then it’s a short ride to the end at Upper Sumnervale Drive. You can continue further down and exit at the playground at the end of Lower Sumnervale Drive. This is a popular track with walkers and runners so please give way and control your speed. This track offers great views directly into Sumner and out of over the coast.

Castle Rock

Single track traverses east below Summit Road and switches back on itself a couple of times before a final traverse to the top of the Bridle Path and Summit Road. Fun track to ride as you pick your way through lava boulders that make parts of the sections quite technical. A good step up if you've only been riding smooth single track like the Bowenvale Traverse track.

Crater Rim - Mt Cavendish

Steep uphill climbing from saddle on the East, with a gate near the top heading next to the Gondola station. Then wooden step risers on the downhill side (bikes allowed, but be courteous to walkers) before it opens out into some extra rocky and technical sections of nearly grade 5 rock gardens. Finish at the Shelter, top of the Bridal path.

Frog Pond

Godley Head

A 2-3 minute rocky ascent from Evans Pass, followed by 7km of clean singletrack and 360° views over the ocean. Follow the trail in reverse or drop down halfway to the Anaconda trail down into Taylor's Mistake.

Godley Head Connector

Godley Head to Taylors Mistake

Alternative trail of Godley Head Connector. I usually ride the Connector first and I come back on this way. Best way to ride is from the car park at the end of Godley Head rd back to the beginning of anaconda trail.

Grasslands

Track between Greenwood Park Track and Summit Road.

Greenwood Park Track

Greenwood Park Track is a spectacular ride that offers dramatic views of the Southern Alps, Kaikoura ranges and coastal cliffs. There are short technical sections that make this a more challenging ride. There is a small car park at the top of Mt Pleasant Road. The track is well sign posted and is on the right side of the road heading out to Godley Head. The start of the track is mostly fast flowing single track with some technical rocky sections. Descend gradually onto Evans Pass. From Evans Pass join the Godley Head track on the other side of Evans Pass on the Godley Head Road.

John Britten Spur

A narrow single track track traverses around the top of John Britten Reserve Spur.

Knapsack (Sheepshit Alley)

Best ridden as an uphill trail to get to the start of Greenwood.

Linda Woods Jacks Track

Lookout Track

Porcini

Short, intensely rooty trail between the trees leading from Titus/Knapsack down to Frog Pond… so named due to the giant mushrooms growing at the west end of the trail.

Taylors Escape

The trail winds its way from the Taylors Mistake carpark to Summit Road. This trail is being built by those good folks at Ground Effect. There are some very off-camber sections.

Titus (Previously The Green Line/Greensticks/Swoopy)

Flowing short section of narrow-in-places singletrack. All technical features haven chicken-lines for non-technical riders. Can be ridden both directions, but the most fun is downhill.

V-Twin

Short singletrack trail up to, and back from Summit Road. A good option if you've not ridden hills before and also a favorite way to get a quick warm up before riding Greenwood.