Suzy Cycles New Zealand

This winter, inspired by some awesome videos on YouTube about New Zealand's off-road cycling scene, I embarked on a solo adventure with a list of trails to explore. My loose itinerary included two weeks on the South Island and two weeks on the North Island, equipped with my gravel bike, camping gear and some bikepacking bags in case I wanted to overnight on the trails. 

Queenstown, a wonderful city well known for adventure sports, boasts a really nice mountain bike park right in town, as well as some wonderful bike trails along the rivers. I really enjoyed the Queenstown trails, especially the Frankton Trail and Twin Rivers Trail up to Arrowtown. The quaint town of Arrowtown has an abundance of personality! This winter ski destination boasts many beautiful hiking trails in the surrounding mountains in the summertime, as well as great cycling options. The Arrowtown Saturday market reminded me of Salt Spring's weekend market, and I enjoyed drinks and live music in the evening at the Fork & Tap and the Blue Door. The trail to Gibbston, a full day’s ride away, offered many beautiful sights, including vineyards, bungee jumping and amazing canyon scenery.

Any cycling trip to the South Island wouldn't be complete without riding the Lake Dunstan Trail! Starting in the town of Cromwell, 3 hours east of Queenstown, the first part of the ride to the small town of Clyde is a remarkable engineering marvel, featuring suspension bridges spanning deep gorges and bluff bridges built along the cliffside. The Central Otago section is hot, dry and mountainous, similar to the Okanagan. Most cyclists ride the Lake Dunstan Trail one way and take a shuttle back to their start location. I elected to save money and rode the trail in both directions, which made for a long, hot day, but it was totally worth it!

Another great ride was the Clutha Gold Trail, from the Roxburgh Dam to Waihola. This one included an overnight stay in Lawrence. I booked a shuttle transport back to my car, and the same company put me up in a 3 bedroom townhome (all to myself) for $100. However, there wasn’t much to do in Lawrence other than grab a “take-away” meal, take a shower and sleep. The next day’s ride to Waihola was beautiful and ended with the best fish & chips (blue cod) I’ve ever had!

Heading back west to the town of Wanaka, the gravel trails along Wanaka Lake and the Hawea River were enjoyable. Wanaka has some really fun nightlife, but it is a bit more of a tourist destination than I enjoy.

The North Island turned out to be a bit of a bust for gravel riding, but it did look like it offered a ton of great trails for mountain biking. I rode the Hauraki Trail to Waihi, did some road riding from Hahei Beach to Whitianga, and on to the Twin Coast Cycle trail. I enjoyed some off-bike adventures, too, like the Glowworm Caves, kayaking, hiking and enjoying countless beaches and waterfalls!

In hindsight, I see this adventure as a “recon” trip. I want to go back someday with a hardtail mountain bike to ride the Timber Trail, Around the Mountains, Great Lakes Trail, and maybe Alps to Ocean. I would also consider getting a camper van to take advantage of the numerous freedom camping locations.

New Zealand is a wonderful, beautiful country. The scenery is constantly changing, and the people are incredibly friendly! The two islands are vastly different from one another, and both have so much to offer. Feel free to contact me for more information if you’re considering a cycling trip to New Zealand.