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From an easy oceanfront cruise to a multi-day coast-to-coast adventure, the Motu Trails and Rere Falls Trail offer a unique set of rides, with something for everyone. Take on just one trail, or combine them. No matter which journey you choose, escape the daily ritual to a place steeped in history and natural beauty - where you can ride, walk, run, and be set free.

Choose your Trail

The&nbsp;Pakihi&nbsp;Track was first opened around 1906 as part of a rough track connecting Motu to Opotiki via the Otara Valley. From the early-1990s, it&nbsp;slowly&nbsp;gained a reputation as an epic mountain bike ride.&nbsp;After a massive restoration, the&nbsp;Pakihi&nbsp;Track reopened in 2012 as part of the Motu Trails. Today&nbsp;it's&nbsp;a beautiful journey through&nbsp;lush&nbsp;forest.&nbsp;&nbsp;[image src="/backoffice/assets/Elevations/Elevation-Pakihi-for-Journeys.jpg" id="426" width="600" height="180" class="leftAlone ss-htmleditorfield-file image"][image src="/backoffice/assets/Pakihi-Track-image.jpg" id="805" width="600" height="1646" class="center ss-htmleditorfield-file image"]

The Pakihi Track is downhill magic – it sweeps through a historic stock route in the magnificent Urutawa Forest, a journey surrounded by fern-filled forest and alongside pristine river pools. This is an advanced (grade 4) mountain biking adventure, suiting mountain bikers with good off-road riding skills and considerable riding experience. Be sure to read the safety information below, before making a decision to ride Pakihi Track.




Pakihi Track

The Dunes Trail is an Easy/Grade 2 trail for cycling, walking and running. You’ll&nbsp;ride close to the ocean and through many areas of native tree plantings. Along the way, in many places you can access the beach (please use formed tracks).The Dunes Trail is two-way and can get busy at times, so please always keep left and be respectful to other trail users. Being coastal, in some places there can at times be windblown sand on the trail. Be ready to walk any places with sand.At the 9km point, take a rest in the shelter then turn around and ride back. Or continue your adventure on the Motu Road Trail.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Dunes Trail is an excellent family ride with its many, short, up-and-downs to offer challenge, and the ability to turn around at whatever distance you choose.&nbsp;[image src="/backoffice/assets/Elevations/Elevation-Dunes-for-Journeys.jpg" id="423" width="600" height="180" class="leftAlone ss-htmleditorfield-file image"]

Cruise a gravel trail along a spectacular stretch of Pacific Ocean coastline. Regular rises pop you up onto the sand dunes for panoramic views of the open ocean, of Moutohorā (Whale Island), Whakaari (White Island), and of the mighty Raukūmara Ranges of Eastland.

Dunes Trail

The Motu Road is graded Intermediate/Grade 3. It is spectacular, extremely hilly, and remote. The road is open for vehicles, but there are usually very few. Motu Road was part of the first&nbsp;vehicle&nbsp;road between Gisborne and the Eastern Bay of Plenty, with the first car making the journey in 1915. In the 1980s and 90s it was a&nbsp;famed&nbsp;annual feature of the World Championship Rally of New Zealand event. On a bicycle, it’s a brilliant, beautiful, and challenging.Please ensure you are well prepared and read all the information. After storms, the road can have slips and windfalls. During and immediately after heavy rain, the ford at Toatoa may be impassable for a few hours.&nbsp;[image src="/backoffice/assets/Elevations/Elevation-Motu-for-Journeys.jpg" id="425" width="600" height="180" class="leftAlone ss-htmleditorfield-file image"]

Welcome to epic backcountry! Taking you through remote bush country, historic farmland, and hills that demand good fitness, the Motu Road is a genuine adventure.

Motu Road Trail

Riding&nbsp;the&nbsp;Rere&nbsp;Falls Trail&nbsp;from&nbsp;Gisborne&nbsp;to&nbsp;Matawai&nbsp;also allows you to&nbsp;link&nbsp;to the&nbsp;Motu Trails&nbsp;Great Ride.&nbsp;Because&nbsp;the&nbsp;Rere&nbsp;Falls Trail is mostly on-road, you can ride a mountain bike, gravel bike, or touring bike with robust tyres. While you are in Tairāwhiti / Gisborne, <a title="Tairawhiti Trails" href="https://tairawhititrails.nz/">https://tairawhititrails.nz/</a> will help you find an adventure.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rere Falls Trail is an impressive ride through heartland New Zealand. Picture out-of-the-way sealed and gravel roads, and a section of riverside trail, traversing fertile plains, high-country farmland and native forest. You'll discover the amazing Eastwoodhill Arboretum, Rere Falls, Rere Rockslide, and Gisborne vineyards. 

Rere Falls Trail

You can start and finish your ride in Opotiki, or&nbsp;Te&nbsp;Waiti. Or you can ride in-and-out from Motu, adding another 30&nbsp;kilometres&nbsp;to the loop.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Motu Trails Loop is a diverse journey, taking you along a fabulous coast, up into a mountain range and deep into the forest interior. The 90km loop takes in all three sections of the Motu Trails Great Ride. It can be neatly extended to 120km by staying at, or starting from, Motu village. The Pakihi Track section is advanced (grade 4) grade, so be sure to read the Pakihi Track safety information before deciding whether it is for you.  

Motu Trails Loop

You have super cycling to choose from, including easy coastal trail, sealed roads, mountain bike park and, for a longer journey, the eastern end of Rere Falls Trail.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gisborne sits by the magnificent Tairāwhiti coast, with both fertile plains and hill country within a short distance. 

Tairāwhiti / Gisborne

Today, the road is&nbsp;little-used&nbsp;aside from hunters, fishers, 4WD'ers, and cyclists. While&nbsp;Otipi&nbsp;Road Trail is not Motu Trails,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;a superb, challenging adventure that showcases sensational forest: you might hear kaka, long-tailed cuckoos, warblers, and kererū along the way.&nbsp;You must be prepared and take care on this ride as, at the far end,&nbsp;you're&nbsp;a very long way from the nearest house and over 60km from Ōpōtiki.&nbsp;

Beyond Motu Trails, the remote Otipi Road, in the Raukūmara Forest Park, was built for hydroelectric dam explorations dating back to the 1950s-1960s. 

Otipi Road Trail

Choose from flat concrete pathway, quiet rural roads, or backcountry ‘hike-a-bike’ adventure.&nbsp;

The Ōpōtiki/Ohiwa district has some neat riding in addition to Motu Trails, especially if you’re happy to do out-and-back journeys. 

Ōpōtiki / Ohiwa

If you're looking for options beyond Motu Trails, the Whakatāne and Ōhope area has a good mix of easy to moderate riding.

Whakatāne / Ōhope

Bush to Bay Holiday Stays

Cycle Gisborne

Eastwoodhill Arboretum

Explore the East Cape Guide

Great Rides App

Hot Bread Shop Café

Gisborne i-SITE 

Horizon Energy Group

Lowes Hire & Engineering

Motu Trails Hire and Shuttle

Motu Community House

Ohope Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park

Seeka

Ohiwa Beach Tasman Holiday Park

Oasis Central Backpackers and Kafe Friends

Opotiki i-SITE Visitor Centre

Opotiki Holiday Park

DOC's Te Waiti Campsite

DOC's Whitikau Campsite

Pakihi Hut

Gray's Bush Walk

Island View Holiday Park 

TrackMe Adventure

Eastland Truckwash

Whakatane Holiday Park

Opape Motor Camp

Builders campsite

Whitakau Campsite

Tirohanga Shelter

Whataupoko Park

Te Waiti Hut

New World Opotiki

Four Square Blue Moon

Dunes Trail Toilet

Pizza Plaza Opotiki

Caltex Opotiki

Mobil Opotiki

Caltex Bridge Street

Gull Opotiki

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Are you looking for NZ cycle trails? Motu Trails offer a wide range of amazing cycling trails with lots of fun and adventure! Choose Your Trail now!

Explore The Trails

Explore The Trails

Pakihi Track

Dunes Trail

Motu Road Trail

Rere Falls Trail

Motu Trails Loop

Tairāwhiti / Gisborne

Otipi Road Trail

Ōpōtiki / Ohiwa

Whakatāne / Ōhope

"It is such a unique and fantastic ride, whether that is just the dunes track or the whole loop, it is just amazing. The track, scenery, signs, the way it has been maintained"

"The main reason for visiting was the Pakihi Track, this is an amazing experience though ancient rain forests, one of the best rides I've ever done … Well done the Motu Trust, you have a jewel in the crown in the Pakihi. "

"We cycled the Dunes, Old Motu Road through to Motu village. There were lots of kamahi [trees] flowering along the road side. Beautiful bush and scenery. Great ride. "

"Just being able to hop on my bike and ride is great. The freedom of being out there. We are so fortunate to be able to do this. All of this, in an amazing environment. "

"Loved the whole journey from Rere falls , the rockslide and Motu/Pakihi to Opotiki. "

"We love this trail and do it reasonably regularly. On this day the weather was perfect, the sea was as well and we stopped for a swim and a picnic in the middle of the trail. The environment that we ride through is always the highlight - no matter the weather. "

"The track was very well built and maintained in a challenging landscape. A beautiful part of the country I wouldn’t have seen if not for the bike and local shuttle service. "

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