New Zealand’s Timber Trail puts a boost in local economy

For those who’ve ridden or walked it, the Timber Trail is much more than a mountain bike track.

It’s a beautiful journey through nature into the past.

One of New Zealand's 22 Great Rides, part of Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail, the Timber Trail takes riders on a journey full of natural wonders, unique heritage sites, and amazing riding through forested hills with spectacular gorges and epic views across the central North Island. The trail begins at Pureora, south-west of Mangakino.

On top of the rich rewards, from riding on ever-changing terrain featuring single-track and thrilling suspension bridges, to ancient forests with towering trees and unique wildlife, to captivating history brought to life with Maori lore and timber milling relics, the Timber Trail has also rewarded the local economy.

Daniel Carruthers, Timber Trail marketing manager, said the idea of the Timber Trail started in late 2009

“Back in 2009 John Key wanted to develop the NZ Cycle Trail, so the Timber Trail was one of the quick start funds that was granted. The trail cost about $5million to build and it took several years.”

Daniel said a great number of people were involved in the creation and they worked with what was already in place.

“There were sections already, but they weren’t joined up, so the trick was to be able to have one cohesive trail.”

In the old days, before the bridges were built, you’d have to get off your bike and clamber down the gully with your bike on your shoulder, slithering, sliding and then carry the bike across the river and climb up the other side. 

“It takes weeks to traverse that type of terrain and now the suspension bridges are up its opened up the forest for the masses. People who don’t normally ride can manage the Timber Trail,” Daniel said.

The Timber Trail opened in 2013 and businesses around the area have been booming since.

“It’s hard to quantify how much money it has brought in. There are cafes, shuttle services, accommodation, bike hires, tours, photography and if you put it all together it would be a large amount,” Daniel said.

He said there was more accommodation popping up every year as well.

“The Timber Trail Lodge opened last year and that became a game changer. It’s largely for cyclists or walkers or off-the-grid company meetings and it’s also a high standard so you have luxury in the middle of the forest.

“The Black Fern Lodge is more of a destination. It’s been there 30 years. It’s accommodation in the middle of nowhere and then the Timber Trail started and it’s boomed.

“If you can suffer another 6km and you want to see something unique and off the beaten track with stuff to do that’s not just about biking, then the Black Fern Lodge is a really cool place. You’ve got the waterfall and the glow worms. I recommend people try to book two or three nights there to explore.”

He said Epic Cycle, which moved from Auckland to do business with those who use the Timber Trail, have a shuttle service and bike hire and now they’ve got council consent to set up glamping for next summer and are in the process of building the accommodation.

Daniel said this year they estimated the number of people who’ve been on the Timber Trail to be about 8500 and about 5-10 percent of those were walkers.

Daniel said there was a range of ages who tackled the trail.

“We have had 18-month-olds [being carried] and grandparents – it caters for all ages. There are people who ride with a little trailer and put their kid in the back. Mostly though, it’s the 40-plus age group.”

He said the trail was also a key part of Tour Aotearoa – one of the world’s greatest “bike-packing” tours.

“We are seeing a lot more people from overseas riding it. It’s ranked the number one mountain bike trail in the North Island and it’s in the top three of all of New Zealand,” Daniel said.

He said the Timber Trail was also short listed this year as a DoC Great Walk, but didn’t make it into the final three.

“An unexpected development has been the rerouting of the Te Araroa walk trail down the Timber Trail which is bringing an extra 600-plus walkers. The feedback from walkers is also extremely positive,” Daniel said.

Kina Campbell, DoC senior community ranger, said there were three full-time staff who did a variety of recreation work along the Timber Trail including servicing the amenities and reactionary work, such as clearing fallen trees and slips. 

There are contractors working on the trail year-round, too, on track maintenance, re-surfacing, drainage and clearing vegetation.

“We also have a small group of volunteers who base themselves at Piropiro campground and do work along the trail. They attend training, such as Growsafe and chainsaw competency, and then will also help clearing tracks, weed spraying, filling in small holes and clearing small tree falls.

“We would love to grow the volunteer base so people can engage in conservation and the trail too,” she said.

Kina said the Timber Trail was rated the second best during 2018’s Tour Aotearoa.

“We get great feedback all the time. We don’t have access to the economic data such as bed counts etc for businesses, but we know through feedback that the small businesses enjoyed the extra patronage during Tour Aotearoa, for example. Also, currently Piropiro campsite (the halfway point) is a basic campsite which doesn’t charge, so I couldn’t even guess the number of people staying there,” she said.

Dave Bamford, from the Timber Trail Lodge, said the lodge opened in April 2017.

“Last season was our first summer season. In about 2011 the Timber Trail business case – funded by the Ruapehu District Council, DoC and MBIE – identified the need for a lodge if the Timber Trail was going to grow.

“A group of local King Country residents took up the idea in 2013 and began working on ideas which took until 2017 to bring to fruition,” he said.

Dave said it cost $3.5million to set the lodge up.

He said at the moment, based on the earnings of the lodge, the regional economy was seeing about $750,000 annually flowing indirectly into the Waikato/Ruapehu region.

“This is expected to exceed $1million within two years,” Dave said.

Along with the economic benefits for the region, the lodge is also providing more employment. They employ three permanent full-timers, up to six in summer and another four to five indirectly involved in administration, bookings, shuttle and logistics services and marketing.

Dave said the feedback they get about the trail is that it’s the “best two-day wilderness bike ride in the North Island, and, arguably, in New Zealand”.

“People love its true wilderness feeling, the amazing podocarp forest and birdlife. Also, its sense of history and excellent interpretive signage that explains natural and human history, the ecosystems and interesting stories and legends.”

To find out more visit www.timbertrail.co.nz.