Overview
This trail would link the Kaihu Valley trail in the south to the Pou Herenga Tai Trail in the north via the Waotu Coach Trail.
This will be a Bike and Hike Northland council and community-driven project. Building on a piece of transport history, this open secret mountain biking route through native-bush-clad hills has the potential to be a destination ride that also draws bikepackers from afar. Improvements will avoid reducing the challenge of the ride, which will be developed to have as little environmental impact as possible.
A feasibility study completed in 2012 by Cycleway Hokianga considered the quality of the Waoku Coach Rd Trail, could well cater for walking and cycling and would be a game changer for Northland.
Trail-specific highlights are the historical infrastructure, such as handmade stone walls and culverts, and the potential for involvement of tangata whenua in catering to visitors and maybe trail/environmental stewardship/maintenance. With a route already established and an existing body of users, it will be relatively easy to increase user numbers through an upgrade to the existing trail.
Status: priority
Location Map – Indicative
The map below shows the current ride using existing roads. This map is a guide only. It does not necessarily reflect the finalised route.