Top 5 Grade 4 MTB Trails in Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua
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If you’ve been following my channel for a while, you’ll know that most of what I put out is raw POV riding — just me, the trail, and whatever chaos unfolds. This video is a bit different. Instead of a first-person shred session, I wanted to step back and actually showcase the forest properly, specifically the Grade 4 trails that I think give you the best all-round picture of what Whakarewarewa has to offer.
This isn’t a list of my absolute favourites. It’s not the hardest stuff either. It’s the five Grade 4 trails that I’d point someone toward if they wanted to experience the real variety that makes Whaka one of the best trail networks in the world.
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.
Why Grade 4?
Whakarewarewa — or Whaka Forest, as everyone calls it — has over 250km of trails weaving through native bush, towering Californian Redwoods, and some of the most forgiving volcanic dirt you’ll ever ride. The grades run from 1 (perfectly flat beginner loops) all the way up to 5 and 6 (consequence-heavy expert terrain). Grade 4 sits in that sweet spot where things get genuinely technical and committing, but it’s accessible to any solid intermediate or advanced rider who’s willing to push their limits a bit.
At Grade 4 you’re dealing with rooty and chutey natural trail, bigger drops, tighter lines, and sections that punish hesitation. But you’re also getting some of the most satisfying riding in the forest — the kind of trails that you finish buzzing and immediately want to lap again.
The Picks
Rather than spoil the whole video, I’ll give you a quick feel for each one and why it made the list.
The trails I’ve chosen aren’t all clustered in the same part of the forest. That was deliberate. Whaka is huge, and different zones have completely different personalities. Some sections are tight and rooty through mature pine, others open up into big flowing berms with views out over the lakes. A couple of these trails you’ll stumble across naturally; others require a bit of a mission to get to — but they’re worth it.
What each of them shares is that they deliver something you can’t get anywhere else in the forest. Whether it’s the flow, the technical challenge, the scenery, or just the pure fun factor, these are the trails that stick in your head on the drive home.
A Note on the Forest
Whaka is free to ride, and that’s thanks to the landowners and the incredible work of the Rotorua Trails Trust, who build and maintain the trails with a combination of funding, volunteer work bees, and sheer dedication. If you ride here — especially if you’re visiting from out of town — please consider chucking a donation their way. The trails don’t maintain themselves, and the quality of what they’ve built here is genuinely world-class.
If you’re coming in from out of town, the main hubs are the Waipa carpark off State Highway 5 and the Te Pūtake o Tawa carpark on Tarawera Road. Both have bike wash stations, toilets, and on weekends you’ll usually find coffee and food vendors.
Watch the Video
The full breakdown with trail footage is up on YouTube — link below. I’ve tried to give each trail a fair showing rather than just a few seconds of riding, so you can actually get a sense of the character of each one before you ride it yourself.
If you’ve ridden Whaka and think I’ve missed a Grade 4 gem, drop it in the comments — I’m always keen to hear what other people rate. And if this is your first time hearing about the Redwoods, I genuinely hope it ends up on your bucket list. It’s worth the trip.
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 to ride the best trails in New Zealand.
Check out our YouTube channel to see us ride as I chase people down all of the trails in Rotorua and NZ!
