Mountain Biking in Rotorua

Whakarewarewa Forest

Whakarewarewa Forest is home to more than 200km of mountain biking trails ranging from Grade 1 (beginner/family friendly) to Grade 5 (expert/pro).  

The trail network is well sign posted and trail maps are located at key intersections. If visiting for the first time, Trailforks offers the best information for trail grading, elevation, navigating, and any temporary closures (please note the network is positioned in a working forest; it is vital to follow any special instructions, closures and/or detours as noted). 

There are plenty of excellent full-service bike shops should you find yourself in need of repairs, riding gear, or new bike bling.

Most of our partner hotels are an easy pedal away from the forest (10-15 minutes), but if you would prefer to drive to the trails, there are three key mountain bike car parks surrounding the forest to base your journey from. 

  1. Waipa car park, off State Highway 5. This popular location is about a 15-minute drive (by car) south of the city centre, and has the largest number of amenities:
    1. Toilets and showers (accessible)
    2. Drinking water 
    3. Bike wash stations
    4. Mountain Bike Rotorua Waipa Base – bike hire, bike servicing, retail, bike shuttles, trail snacks, tours, trail information 
    5. Trail Kitchen café, open daily 
    6. Secret Spot Hot Pools & BaseCamp – hot pools and bar with food options 
  2. Te Pūtake o Tawa, on Tarawera Road. Plenty of parking located about a 20-minute drive (by car) from the city centre, and very close to Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) for a post-ride swim:
    1. Toilets and showers (accessible)
    2. Drinking water 
    3. Bike wash stations
    4. Mountain Bike Rotorua Tawa Base – bike hire, bike shuttles, trail snacks, tours, trail information
    5. Grounded – coffee and grab-and-go food options
  3. Redwoods on Tītokorangi Drive (formerly Long Mile Road/). This area is commonly used by walkers, runners, hikers and sightseers so tends to be busier and can be more challenging to find parking:

For easier access around the forest, Mountain Bike Rotorua runs public shuttles in the forest daily and offer private shuttles for those wanting to customise their adventure even further. 

Skyline Rotorua

Skyline Rotorua boasts a range of family-friendly adventure activities on Mt Ngongotahā, including the world-famous Luge

It is also home to Skyline MTB Park, New Zealand’s first gondola-assisted mountain bike park which provides riders access to the very same world-class downhill mountain bike trails used by Crankworx athletes. 

The park consists of 12 kilometres of trails with varying terrain for most ability levels. 

As a Crankworx Rotorua Festival spectator, Skyline Gondola passes are included with your Crankworx Rotorua Festival ticket. If you’re wanting to ride Skyline MTB Park while you’re here in Rotorua, you can purchase your Gondola uplift and MTB Park passes here. NOTE: Skyline MTB Park will be closed to the public during the Crankworx Festival.