Mountain biking starts in Abel Tasman National Park
From this week, Abel Tasman National Park’s Gibbs Hill Track becomes the first Nelson national park track available to mountain bikers. The “season” goes for five months from May 1 until 1 October, while fewer walkers use the track, and is part of a two-year trial.
The Gibbs Hill Track runs across the park between Totaranui and Wainui Bay and can be cycled in either direction. It is graded as an intermediate-level mountain biking track. No more than eight riders are allowed in a group.
Department of Conservation Golden Bay area manager John Mason said mountain bikers could just ride the 10km Gibbs Hill Track or make a 23km round trip by also cycling on roads between Wainui and Totaranui.
“We hope mountain bikers will enjoy this first riding opportunity in Abel Tasman National Park. Mountain bikers need to adhere to the mountain bikers’ code, which includes showing respect and consideration to walkers. Monitoring during the trial period will assess mountain biking impacts including environmental effects and any impacts on other people’s use and enjoyment of the track. If the impacts are found to be minimal and acceptable then mountain biking will be allowed to continue.”
The move follows a change to general policy for National Parks, allowing mountain biking on routes specified in national park management plans. Mountain biking provisions were included in the Abel Tasman National Park Management Plan that came into effect late last year.
The department is reminding mountain bikers that biking is not allowed on the Heaphy Track or other Kahurangi National Park tracks.
“Options for mountain biking in Kahurangi National Park are presently being considered. What mountain biking can take place in the park won’t be established until the review is completed and a new reviewed management plan is in place,” Mr Mason said. “The public will have the chance to comment on proposals for mountain biking in the park when a draft reviewed management plan is released for public submissions, expected to be before the middle of this year. Public submissions will be taken into account in preparing a final draft reviewed plan for consideration by the Nelson/Marlborough Conservation Board and then the New Zealand Conservation Authority.”
Mountain biking is also now allowed year-round on a short section of another Abel Tasman National Park track. The Moa Park Track can be cycled between the turnoff on the Rameka Track—which is legal road and currently used for mountain biking—and the Wainui Track turnoff. This section of track links with a mountain bike track being developed in the adjoining Canaan Downs Scenic Reserve, providing a round trip.
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