HAURAKI RAIL TRAIL
The North Island's rail trail meanders along the mangrove edges of the Firth of Thames, straightens up to pass through verdant rural heartland before plunging into the Karangahake Gorge with it's long tunnel, river rapids and rich gold mining heritage.
The ride is a network of 'easy' trails with good width, a well-formed gravel surface over gentle terrain. It can be ridden any time of the year and is very popular in the warmer months. The trail is ideal for families or those who like a gentler pace and can be undertaken as single or multi-day ride.
The Hauraki Rail Trail is a collection of several distinct rides between towns of Thames, Te Aroha, Paeroa, Waihi, Matamata and Kaiaua.
The trails are almost flat and graded as 'easiest to easy', thus making it suitable for families to ride sections in any direction. The formation is wide and pedallers can generally ride side by side. The trails are all off-road primarily on a gravel and have an all-weather surface.
The trails can be ridden all year with significant use during the summer holiday periods, especially in the Karangahake Gorge. The Gorge is the most popular section of trail. It can be started from Paeroa or Waihi or several places in between.
There are toilets along the trail as well as in the small towns. If staying in the area there is a range of accommodation and food establishments both in the small towns and scattered along the trail.
Please refer to the official trail website and Facebook links for the most recent safety updates, conditions and trail details.