Greymouth mountain bike tracks
Track category
Mountain bike - Intermediate
Mountain bike - Advanced
Description
The old gold miners knew how to build a track and make it last. The majority of mountain biking tracks around Greymouth follow historic gold mining tracks and trails. The track surfaces range from benched single track to muddy and rocky 4WD roads. There is terrain suitable for all abilities. However, the area is best known for its longer, exploratory adventure rides.
These are shared-use tracks. Follow the mountain bikers code: respect others, respect the rules, respect the track.
Croesus Track
Grade 4: Advanced
Length: 16km (10km from Smoke-ho carpark)
Start point: Black Ball Township or Smoke-ho carpark
End point: Ces Clark Hut
Croesus Track swing bridge
A premier West Coast mountain bike ride. The Croesus Track is accessed by going through the town of Blackball. Either park in town and begin your ride from here or carry on driving through town towards Roa Mine. Turn right onto a steep gravel road, which ends at the Smoke-ho car park. The ride up to Ces Clark hut from here follows a very well preserved miners' track that is excellent for mountain biking.
The trail has an achievable gradient with long ridable uphill sections. It is rocky and technical in places and more difficult to ride when wet and rainy. However, when you finally reach the hut the view is superb and the ride back down is phenomenal.
Heli-biking
The quickest way to the top is by Helicopter. Local pilots will fly you and your bike up there for $100-$150 per person depending on how many friends you arrange on the day.
Read more about the Croesus Track
Moonlight Track
Grade 4: Advanced
Length: 6.5km
Start point: Moonlight carpark
End point: Meikles Hut
Benched miners track - an example of the track terrain
Another great ride along a historic miner's path. The start of this track weaves in between some impressive, boulder-stacked gold tailings. As a result the initial terrain is rough and rocky. Once across the first swing-bridge, the track becomes a mix of very smooth, benched single track with intermittent rougher sections. Find the old Meikles Hut tucked in the bush. There is a short section of ridable track just beyond here.
Read more about Southern Paparoa Range walking tracks
Napoleon Hill
Grade 3: Intermediate
Distance: 12km
Start Point: Orwell Creek Road
End Point: Waipuna-Clarke Road
Alert: Landowner permission required: Robin and Malcolm Smith Ph +64 3 732 3849 or 021 131 4632.
An adventure ride on 4WD tracks past an old gold mining settlement. Follow the farm road, from the end of Orwell road, up onto Napoleon Hill where you will find the remains of the settlement and a cemetery. Ignore all turn offs and take the downhill ride that leads into Nobles Creek. Ride through the historic mining tunnels, and then follow Nobles Creek into Waipuna Creek. Follow this down stream to reach Waipuna-Clarke Road. Either arrange for a pickup or ride back the way you came.
Activities
Bird and wildlife watching
Child/family friendly activities
Historic sites
Walking/tramping/hiking
Plan and prepare
Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date to raise the alarm if you haven't returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoors Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand's search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details about your trip.
Guides and commercial tourism providers