Journey through Christchurch's stunning landscapes and enjoy over 70km of mountain bike tracks and scenic rides.
Respect the track, respect others and respect the rules:
- Download the mountain biker's code and track grading information [PDF, 777 KB]
- Check the mountain biking track status before heading out
MTB track map
Official tracks are displayed as blue, green and black lines.
Grades 1 and 2
Grades 3 and 4
Grades 5 and 6
The Port Hills and Banks Peninsula Reserves offer approximately 80km of MTB-specific and shared-use tracks ranging from grade 3 to grade 6 for mountain bikers to explore and enjoy.
Central Port Hills
This area lies between Kennedys Bush Track and Montgomery Reserve near Rāpaki Track. The area includes Victoria Park which has downhill tracks. Most of the high-use grade 3 tracks are found in this area.
Eastern Port Hills
This area extends from Montgomery Reserve to Godley Head. This is classic Port Hills riding country - very rocky in places with lots of technical challenges. There are outstanding views on either side of the old volcano rim across Ōtautahi, Whakaraupō Harbour and out to the Pacific Ocean. Many tracks in this section have recently been regraded from 3 to 4.
Coast and plains
These rides are perfect for those looking for the fun of a mountain bike track with minimal technical challenges. All are grade 1 or grade 2 rides and managed either by Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury or the Department of Conservation.
These rides are well suited for families - they include a mix of learn to ride parks and flat, paved, or graveled routes with no technical challenge.
- Christchurch Adventure Park(external link) has mountain bike trails aimed at all levels - flowy trails for beginners, sweeping intermediate trails and technical jump tracks for experts.
- Christchurch cycle map has information on urban cycle routes.
- Department of Conservation(external link) has information on more popular rides around Canterbury and the rest of New Zealand.
- Hurunui Trail(external link) links Kaikōura and Canterbury via a historic inland road from the coast through mountain ranges and the Canterbury plains to Ōtautahi Christchurch.
- Le Race Route is a great challenge for road cyclists.
- Summit Road makes for a change of scenery for road cyclists.
The Waimakariri District has plenty of opportunities for cyclists, including off-road tracks alongside the Ashley/Rakahuri and Waimakariri Rivers which are managed by Environment Canterbury.
Cycle facilities and trails in the Waimakariri District(external link).
The Christchurch to Little River Rail Trail is a cycleway and walkway between Christchurch and Little River.
Find information and maps for the Little River Rail Trail(external link).
Disclaimer
While we do our best to ensure information is correct and regularly updated, errors in the data and its completeness may occur. The tracks that we are promoting are represented by interactive, selectable lines, and we cannot verify the accuracy of any tracks displayed on the underlying base map, which is open source and can be changed by members of the public.
All users should be aware that changes in the environment can happen quickly, such as slips, rockfalls, or access across private land and may not be represented immediately on the mapping provided. Take note of the signs on the ground. Be aware of safety outdoors and be suitably prepared for your ride.
