Logging in Whakarewarewa Forest: What Does it Mean for the MTB Trails
Photos by @jeffcarter21
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The guided shuttle service made everything effortless. It was great to have maximum time on the trails without having to worry about logistics, and our driver Peter had some great stories about the history of the trail network.
I can’t recommend this experience highly enough, and hope I’m able to make another trip here sometime in the future!
Will definitely be returning for another session.
Highly recommended for any MTBiker regardless of skill or experience level.
I'll be back in a few months' time when these skills have sunk in, for another lesson.
Jamie seemed to know all the trails like the back of his hand – he was able to give us a run- down of all the upcoming trails, a heads up on all the terrain features, and was able to adapt trails as we went. He also gave us both riding and travel recommendations for the rest of our NZ trip. Sure, you could have had a “similar” experience guiding yourself with Trail Forks, but the comfort of having a very experienced guide in an unfamiliar area allowed us to get a ton of extremely fun riding in without much brain power. Having Jamie as a guide was absolutely invaluable, and I would highly recommend booking with New Zealand Mountain Biking if you want to get the ultimate NZ mountain biking experience.
Whakarewarewa Forest is one of the best places in the world to mountain bike. With over 250km of purpose-built single track, there is everything from short beginner loops for kids, long scenic rides for intermediate adults, and steep tech for the expert rider.
With logging operations disrupting trail access, our guides can navigate around closed areas, making sure your ride experience is optimised with trails selected to suit your riding style and skills. With our help, you will hardly notice any disruptions at all.
Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua is privately owned land that we are very lucky to have public access to.
Whakarewarewa Forest is 3,500HA of forestry land owned by CNI (Central North Island Iwi Holdings) who represent the assets of 8 iwi, including local mana whenua – Tuhorangi and Ngati Whakaue. The underlying forestry lease allows for non-motorised bike, walking and horse access across the land. This includes not only mountain bikers, but also runners, walkers, and horse riders. Something that the land owners have been extremely accommodating with, is the community building new trails. Of course, there is a strict process to follow (get in touch with the Rotorua Trails Trust or Rotorua Council for more info) when adding a new trail, but we are constantly getting new trails and having older tired favourites refreshed. Something that is pretty amazing is how the mountain bike community is looked after during times when the logging operations are going on in the forest. Operations are happening throughout the year, from road construction, harvesting, and carting, through to mowing, spraying, and planting new trees. The cut cycle is around 27 years for the radiata pine and 40 years for the Douglas fir. This is more than enough time for a trail to reach its peak for its day and then get rebuilt after the harvest as a more modern trail.
Do the trails get kept after a harvest?
No, not really. But something does generally get built in its place. Each time a block is harvested, trails of the same name are replaced, they just might have a different difficulty or style to keep up with the times and fill any gaps that the network has to try to keep all users happy.
Since the 90’s, mountain bikers have been ripping through Whakarewarewa forest on their bikes. Now, if the modern mountain biker were to ride a trail that is over 30 years old, they are either going to get frustrated by the random nature of the trail, or find it too easy or hard, or find it a bit too flat. As bikes have evolved, so have the trails. Can you imagine riders hitting trails like NGT on their 90’s bikes? Having to either ride it on a super heavy DH rig that they pushed all the way to the top or a sporty XC bike with the seat up in your guts over every drop?? Now in the Redwoods, we still have trails that the XC fraternity love, along with more Enduro trails than you can shake a stick at, plus some world-class DH that has bred world champions.
What happens whilst trails are being logged?
The trees in the forest are managed by Kaiangaroa Tipu, the recreation is managed by Rotorua Lakes Council, and the trails are managed by the Rotorua Trails Trust. Forestry management in the Whakarewarewa Forest is extremely accommodating to the public and they work very well with the local council and the Trails Trust. Instead of the whole forest being closed, security is placed at trailheads and roads with signage to inform people that there is a closure. This means that instead of losing over 100 trails, we only lose access temporarily to a handful of trails. This signage must be obeyed so that logging crews don’t have random members of the public bowling in on an active worksite, having to shut the whole operation down.
Shuttles are relocated and the riding continues, just in different parts of the forest. HERE is an up-to-date list of trail closures.
When do the trails get re-opened?
Some are reopened when the logging crews go home each day, but some stay shut for months. There is a bit of a cycle that happens that we have seen over and over with many “classic” trails being logged over the years. Once a block is clear cut, there is a mat of organic debris that is left behind. There has been some experimentation with building trails before the block is re-planted and after replanting. From a riders point of view, these trails are super fun for a little bit but they generally get pretty beaten up as they are the most exposed to the elements. The sun dries them out so they get loose, then the rain pummels them and moves a lot of soil creating ruts, and dont forget the occasional frost that softens them up too.
The trail goes through a time of a couple of years where the trees aren’t quite big enought to protect it. But once the trees get to about 6-8 years old, the dirt has some protection and the trail holds its moisture a bit more in the drier months and has a bit more protection from the rain and frosts. They just get better and better until the trees are about 25 years old, everyone thinks of them as an old friend and the cycle begins again creating a blank canvas for the nect generation of trails,.
Come Ride With Us
If you’re coming to Rotorua and want to:
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Ride the best trails without guessing
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Learn new skills on your bike and use proper technique
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Get faster, smoother, and more confident
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Or just have a solid day riding with locals
If you are a bit unsure of how to navigate the forestry operations, then come ride with us.
We offer coaching, lessons, and guided rides in Whakarewarewa Forest for riders on mountain bikes and e-mountain bikes. Whether you’re new to Rotorua or you’ve ridden here before, you’ll get more out of the trails with the right guidance.
Then let’s go ride.
At New Zealand Mountain Biking, we run epic mountain biking tours across the scenic North Island, New Zealand. We also help riders build confidence and skills in our MTB and eMTB private lessons on the legendary Rotorua trails. If you race or you want to get into some racing and you want to improve those skills, get in touch for some lessons!
You can learn more about our trips here to book your ride today!
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