Paparoa Great Walk named NZ’s top ride

Read more from

February 2020

A long-time Wilderness contributor and freelance author, Kathy writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation.

By Kathy Ombler

In their latest, 10th edition of Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides, the Kennett brothers rated the Paparoa Track as number one out of their top 10 rides in New Zealand.

After two ‘assessment rides’ for DOC, Jonathan Kennett said: “I thought that second ride, last November, was the best day of mountain biking that I had done all year, and I did a lot of mountain biking to revise the book.

“The new sections of track have been extremely well designed for fit, experienced, grade four (advanced) riders. This means all of the gradients are relatively easy to walk. Many people will prefer to tramp the track simply to have more time to appreciate those amazing vistas as well as the unique botanical communities they will pass through. But I am sure it will also be quite popular to cycle.

“People have been mountain biking the Croesus Track since the late 1980s. In fact, I would guess that miners probably rode into Garden Gully (in the Croesus) in the depression years, when work gangs kept the track in good condition.”

The Paparoa Track Great Walk opened last November, but a large landslip has closed the middle section of the track. It is hoped the track will be fully opened by April.

The Kennett’s full top 10 list:

Paparoa Track, Greymouth
The Old Ghost Road, Westport
Heaphy Track, Golden Bay
Whakarewarewa, Rotorua
Coronet Peak to Arrowtown, Wakatipu Basin
Moerangi Track, Whirinaki Forest
Flat Top Hill, Alexandra
The Timber Trail, Central North Island
Fowlers Pass, Hanmer Springs
Queenstown Bike Park

About the author

Kathy Ombler

Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.