Now a very popular sport in New Zealand. Forestry is a major industry and the many 4 wheel drive tracks that provide access to the forests are plenty and both scenic and interesting.
Many tracks exist in Department of Conservation State Forests, providing riding through native bush on trekking and 4 wheel drive tracks. It is possible to cross major passes on Mountain Bike, even crossing from the West Coast to the East Coast of the South Island. Free riding is safe and easy in New Zealand, and for those preferring to join a group, professional operators know where all the top places to ride are.
And then there are parks specifically maintained for mountain biking, such as the Woodhill Forest West of Auckland, the Redwood Forest in Rotorua and Makara Park in Wellington. Of these, the Redwood Forest in Rotorua is widely recognised as being the best park for mountain biking, with all grades of riding available and a very extensive network of tracks in wonderful scenery – refer to images on the right.
All through the country there is awesome riding to be had. Some rides are in native forest, others cross farmland and through forestry. There are no wild killer animals to contend with, nor insects that will lay you horizontal – only the terrain! The only problem is finding these tracks.