Te Ara Ahi - national cycleway...
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Rotorua to Rainbow Mountain...'go thermal by bike'
Built as part of the National Cycleway 2011-12.
Starts at the southern end of Te Puia carpark under the massive and magnificent carved gateway or waharoa.
This is the Hemo Gorge Trail and is dirt. At the end of this trail turn right after the bridge. Follow the trail and signs to the corner of Waipa Mill Road and SH5 to Taupo. This is where the sign in the photo is - it pretty much sums up the distances.
The cycleway is a concrete ribbon parallel to SH5 for the first 10kms to Highlands Loop Road. This can be narrow at times and it is 2-way so take care.
Tarseal then with a short section of hardpacked pumice.
More tarseal on Waimangu Road into this beautiful scenic valley. At the summit you can stop for a coffee and something to eat at Cafe Nature at Waimangu Volcanic Valley. This is a very busy tourist destination and the road can reflect that with lots of cars and buses
Okaro Road takes you on a fast downhill to the T-junction with SH38 to Murupara and onto Waikaremoana.
Follow the signs across the road to the Rainbow Mountain trail head. You can skirt the mountain on Te Ara Ahi to Te Ranga or Kerosene Creek for a hot pool.
Or grade 4 mountain bikers can check out the Department of Conservation's Rainbow Mountain MTB trails - the steep and technical climb up (Te Tihi O Ruru) - and the downhill that follows (Te RangaTrail) again ending at Kerosene Creek.
The general gradient of Te Ara Ahi is up on the outward journey - on the way back once you get back to concrete it is a fast dowhill run back to Waipa...
It's around a 60km return trip from the centre of Rotorua - and worth it!
Trail profile is from Waipa Mill Road/SH5 corner to entrance to Rainbow Mountain Reserve of SH38...
Thanks to Magellan GPS
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| TRAIL PROFILE (click to enlarge) |