WAIKATO RIVER TRAILS
This river trail is a journey of discovery as it follows the meandering flow of our country's longest river, skirts the edges of narrow, dark lakes and crosses concrete hydro-electric dams before passing through their small settlements.
This is a lineal ride mainly on 'intermediate' trail with gravel or natural surface and undulating terrain. It can be ridden any time of the year and is suitable for mountain bikers and can be undertaken in sections or multi-day trips.
The Waikato River Trails are an 'A to B' trail (with a couple of options at Arapuni) following the river between Lake Karapiro at the northern most end and Atiamuri farther south. Each section is named after the lake the trail runs beside.
The trail can be ridden all year, in any direction with minimal height difference between Lake Karapiro and Atiamuri Dam. The majority of the trail is relatively wide with a gravel surface and apart from a couple of exceptions the trail is off-road.
Toilets are scattered along the trail, however none are present at the two trailheads. The trail is generally well delineated, with blue plastic trail markers to help along the way. The majority of the accommodation and food providers are located in the small towns along the way.
Please refer to the official trail website and Facebook links for the most recent safety updates, conditions and trail details.