News Release
Monday 1 December 2014

New family-friendly dual-use trail for The Redwoods

A dual-use trail for bikers and walkers is currently under construction in The Redwoods forest area, to provide a safe, family-friendly track for families.

The new trail is designed to meet the needs of those forest users whose requirements are not currently catered for on the dedicated walking and mountain biking tracks.

It will provide an off-road link to The Redwoods Visitor Centre from the end of Long Mile Rd, and another access point further up Tarawera Road (Waitawa Link).

Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) Community Engagement and Events lead, Julianne Wilkinson, said the enhancement of the current track networks within the forest was a great addition and would help meet changing recreational needs identified by the community and forest visitors.

She said it enhances the forest, and reinforces the council’s Rotorua 2030 goal of providing outstanding places to play.

“The new trail will take children off much of Long Mile Road, a road that has high traffic volumes at times and is used by large tour buses.”

She said the council often received requests from parents and grandparents wanting to walk alongside their children and grandchildren while they are using trainer bikes, but they did not feel confident using mountain bike trails.

“The new loop is separate from the current walking tracks, and will provide a safe, easy trail within the forest for parents with pushchairs and young children on bikes. It will be a gentle, winding trail designed to encourage slower speeds.

“It will also provide them with a great beginners’ opportunity to experience The Redwoods with their families. It reduces conflict with mountain bikers using other walking tracks in this area as bikers will now have a separate link they can use to access Nursery Hill and the mountain bike trails.”

Signage will be put in place to promote safe use of the new trail.

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