Rotorua Trails Trust

04/06/2026

28/05/2026

WHAKA WEEKLY 🌲

28 May 2026

right. big week. strap in 👇

Eagle vs Shark lower is rideable.
Black House Down is back.
three trail rebuilds are being actively scoped right now.
Challange Roadside is looking fire.
and THIS Sunday the Highlander is on and it is going to be an absolute cracker.
let's get into it 🌲

🏔️ HIGHLANDER MTB CHALLENGE – THIS SUNDAY 31ST MAY 🔥
the Highlander is one of those events that gets people out of bed before sunrise in the middle of winter to train. months of cold morning rides, soggy socks, burning legs – all building toward one epic Sunday in the Whaka.

it kicks off at Te Puia with the Pohutu Geyser doing its thing in the background (yes, really) and winds through the forest trails before finishing at Te Putake O Tawa carpark. point to point. one direction. (uphill) all crazy. all good.

three distances to choose from:
🟢 Highlander 10 – ~11km, ~259m climb. great first race, brilliant morning out
🟡 Highlander 30 – ~31km, ~769m climb. a proper test of the legs
🔴 Highlander 60 – ~61km, ~1670m climb. this is the one people have been quietly suffering for all winter

ALL TRAILS REMAIN OPEN during the event – the course zigzags through the forest but nothing is closed to the public. so if heading out for a ride on Sunday, just be a good forest guest and share the trails with a smile. and if a racer comes through – give them a hoot. cheer them on. loudly. when legs are burning and the mind is telling someone to stop, a random shout of encouragement from a stranger on a trail can be the exact thing that gets them through.

it genuinely matters. be that person 🙌

👉 full event info and course maps at www.highlandermtb.co.nz

💸 $2K RAISED IN TWO WEEKS – YOU ABSOLUTE LEGENDS

last week we put the call out for donations to fund the trail rebuilds. and the response has been extraordinary.

two thousand dollars raised in two weeks. from people all over New Zealand and beyond, donating anything from a few dollars to seriously generous amounts, all because they love this forest and want to see the trails come back.

every single cent of that goes directly into the rebuild fund. not overheads. not admin. straight into the ground, into the trails, into the forest that gives back to every single person who steps into it.

to everyone who donated – thank you. from all of us. from every future rider who will ride Frontal and Billy T and Under Billy and Eagle vs Shark upper when they're rebuilt. from every kid who will learn to ride a mountain bike on trails that exist because someone believed in them enough to fund them. you are the reason this happens. 🙏

and if you haven't yet – the rebuild fund is open and every dollar moves us closer.

www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – 3 clicks, any amount, real impact.

🦅🦈 EAGLE VS SHARK – IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING
okay let's talk about the trail that has had more hours poured into it this week than just about anything else – because Eagle vs Shark lower is now cleaned up, refreshed, and READY TO RIDE 🎉

and that's just the warm up act.

the crew has been out on Tuesday and Wednesday doing trail line scoping on the Eagle vs Shark upper rebuild. this is the serious business – walking the corridor, assessing the terrain, planning the new line. this is where world class trails are born, in the quiet work of understanding exactly where a trail should go and why.

and it gets better.

Under Billy rebuild has also been scoped this week. two legendary trails, both being planned simultaneously, both about to become something extraordinary.

and Te Mounga upper rebuild scoping happened on Wednesday too. THREE trail rebuilds being actively planned in one week. if that doesn't get the stoke going then honestly we don't know what will.

Eagle vs Shark lower is open. go ride it. the upper rebuild is coming. and with every donation that comes in, every working bee that shows up, every trail sponsor who steps up – it gets closer.

this is real. this is happening. 💚

🐝 TIM TAMS WORKING BEE – SUNDAY ABSOLUTE UNIT
the Tim Tams working bee on Sunday was an extraordinary effort – 28 volunteer hours of pure community love poured into this one, and she's in the race so there are lots of peeps out there who are going to really appreciate every smooth metre – and the crew of legends behind every bit of it 💚

THE REST OF THE MAHI 🌲

FOREST LOOP – TE ARA A WHERO, TE PIKITANGA WHANGAPIPIRO (MUD POOL), AREPA WEHERUA & TE ARA KI WAIPĀ 6 🌲💧
the Forest Loop has been getting systematic love across multiple sections this week – blowing, drains, and vegetation cleared on Te Ara A Whero, Mud Pool (both Thursday and Friday!), Arepa Weherua (two full days of blowing and vegetation), Te Ara ki Waipā 6, and the Tarawera Road Trail on Wednesday.

the Forest Loop is enormous and keeping every section of it in world class condition requires this kind of consistent, methodical attention. the crew is absolutely delivering. if doing the full loop right now, every section of it is humming 🌲

BLACK HOUSE DOWN – Back in Business 🏚️💨
Black House Down got a fresh blow on Monday to keep it in top condition following last week's full reopening. it's back, it's sorted top to bottom, and it is absolutely delivering. go find it!

REDWOODS MEMORIAL GROVE WALKING TRACK (RED) 🌲🚶
the Memorial Grove Red walking track got blown on both Friday and Monday this week. this is one of the most soul-nourishing walks in the whole forest – ancient trees, golden light, total peace. whether heading out for an after-work walk or a weekend wander with the family, it's absolutely pristine right now. go soak it up 🍂

CHALLENGE ROADSIDE – New Adopter Still Going OFF 💪
the Challenge Roadside adopter was back out on both Saturday AND Sunday doing more surface repairs – same legend who also looks after Challenge DH and New Exit. Oh and to all the legends who came by the trail, he has a message for you: No need to apologies for riding the fresh trail, thats why hes there and you are actually HELPING pack it down! But please, if you see that trail maintenace sign, slow down :) 🙌

PIG TRACK 🐷🌿

Banger of a trail, banger of a trail adopter, and banger of a tune to have a poem set to, all thanks to the trail adopter:

"(To the tune of Even Flow by Pearl Jam)

Chorus:
Even flowwwwww
Next time it happens to rain
The water will gooooo
Down these lovely empty drains!

Chorus 2:
My leaf blow(er)
Said these pine needles just can’t stay
They fell from treesssss
So we blew them all awayyyyy!

*Also trimmed veg "

🐷

MAD IF YOU DON'T 🤪💨
Mad If You Don't got the full treatment on Thursday – blowing, drains, vegetation, AND event prep ahead of the Highlander this weekend. it is in absolutely primo condition for Sunday's riders. and honestly, with the trail in this shape – it really would be mad if you don't get out there this weekend!

PUARENGA WALKING TRACK 🚶💧
Puarenga got surface repairs on Wednesday – keeping this lovely walking corridor safe and enjoyable for everyone on foot. small job, meaningful impact. chur to the crew and the adopter for getting it sorted!

THE BIGGER PICTURE 💚
three trail rebuilds being actively scoped.
Eagle vs Shark lower open and looking beautiful.
$2k in donations in two weeks.
working bees on Tim Tams
Challange block refresh
the Highlander on Sunday.

this forest is going from strength to strength because this community refuses to let it be anything less than extraordinary.

if you want to be part of the rebuild story – you know where to find us:

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – 3 clicks. any amount. straight into the trails.

see you out on Sunday – and if passing a Highlander rider digging deep, give them everything you've got. a cheer costs nothing and means everything 🏔️🤙

aroha nui,

– the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲

27/05/2026

Great addition to the Great ride!

25/05/2026

Last week we got real with you about the trail rebuilds and what it takes to fund them.

You showed up. 💚

$1,000 in donations in a single week from this amazing community that spans NZ AND Australia!! That's 400 metres of trail rebuild paid for. Legends!

Every single dollar came from someone who rides these trails, loves this forest, and decided to do something about it. That's you. That's this community.

We're not done — Eagle vs Shark, Frontal, Billy T, the DH tracks — these rebuilds are coming, and every donation gets us closer.

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz — 3 clicks. Be part of this.

aroha nui 🌲

— the RTT crew

21/05/2026

WHAKA WEEKLY 🌲

21 May 2026

Kia ora whānau!!

what a week in the forest. the trails are going from strength to strength, the RTT crew has been absolutely smashing it, adopters are showing up in the most incredible ways, and Eagle vs Shark is about to have its biggest glow up in years.

Black House down reopened.
Challenge Block getting nice resurfacing.
The Brains Trust crew being awesome.
we have SO much good stuff to get into.

but first. we need to have a little chat. and we're going to need you to actually read it, not just scroll past to the trail updates 👇

🚨 A WORD ABOUT TRAIL ETIQUETTE – AND WE MEAN IT 🚨

we don't love having to write this. we really don't. we'd rather just talk about trails and good times and community love all day every day.

but the reports keep coming in.

People riding and walking on Eight Mile Road. Despite the GIANT blue signs telling you not to.

mountain bikers on walking trails. walkers on mountain bike trails… and the classic idiotic responses when people are called out on it:

"I've been doing this for years"
"I'll get off if someone comes"
“I’m just going 400m theres nothing coming”

let's be really clear about something. this is not about you.

It's about you muppets meaning more rules, more signs, less freedoms.

what happens when a walker panics and tries to jump out of the way of a mountain biker on the trail and falls?

what happens when a mountain biker suddenly sees a walker on a mtb trail and slams on the brakes at 30k?

you might be fine. you jumped out of the way. but the other person? not fine.

And let's even not think about a logging truck vs human….

When you go over to your nans house, you take off your shoes. Cos it's her house, her rules.

we are all guests on this land. guests behave with respect. guests follow the rules of the house. guests do not decide that the rules don't apply to them because they've been coming here for years.

I'm just getting started here, gloves off….

every time someone does something dumb in this forest, it makes it worse for everyone.

more signs go up.
more restrictions get put in place.
more barriers get built.

the world gets a little bit smaller for all of us – because of the actions of a few people who think the rules are for other people.

please. follow the signs. STAY OFF EIGHT MILE ROAD. be a good guest. be a good human. 🙏

and to anyone who has been seen being a bad guest in the forest, you have been seen, it HAS been noted.

okay. deep breath. Back to positive vibes, let's talk about all the amazing stuff 💚

🦅🦈 EAGLE VS SHARK – THE REBUILD HAS BEGUN AND WE ARE HYPED
THIS IS THE BIG NEWS this week!!!
we have started the refresh of the bottom section of Eagle vs Shark before the REBUILD of the top section kicks off. 🔥

Because of the logging operations we have not been able to get access to the lower part for months so the vegetation is really overgrown and the surface needs proper professional attention before it's ready to be ridden again.

so please do not ride lower Eagle vs Shark right now. it is not open. it is not ready. the crew is in there working and the surface is actively being refreshed. respect the closure and you'll be rewarded with something amazing when it reopens 🙏

It's almost time for the TRAIL REBUILDS!!!

Eagle vs Shark is just the beginning. the trails that this community has been asking about – Frontal, the DH tracks, Huckle Berry, Billy T, Under Billy, Corners, Ma Te Wa, Te Mounga – these are all on the list. these are all trails we want to rebuild properly. professionally. to world class standard.

and we mean WORLD CLASS. not a patch job. not a community line scratched in quickly to get something built that will fail at the first storm (thanks for the offers though folks!)

we want, you demand and deserve, the best trail builders in the game, with the right equipment, doing it properly so it lasts. that's what these trails deserve, that's what the worldwide riding community deserve, that's what will keep Rotorua on the "must ride” tourist map and that's what we're going to do.

Just one catch….it took 20 years to build these trails first time round, one at a time, over the years. To do em all at once?….it costs an absolute fortune.

trail construction doesn't come cheap. and it shouldn't – because cheap trail construction gives you cheap trails and we are not interested in cheap trails. we are interested in trails that are so good that people fly from the other side of the world to ride them.

so we're going to say this as directly and as lovingly as we possibly can:

if you want these trails rebuilt – you need to help pay for them.

the forest is free to ride. FREE. that is an extraordinary privilege and most people who ride here know it.

if you're riding a $7k bike on trails you access for free every week – we're not judging you. we think that's amazing. but if you can find $50 for a set of brake pads, you can find $50 for the trails you ride those brake pads on.

A $50 donation builds 2m of trail. We got a few km of trails to build. But like eating an Elephant, one bite at a time gets er done.

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – 3 clicks. Donate, be the reason this happens.

we cannot do this without you. we genuinely, honestly, cannot. so please – if you love this forest, if you ride these trails, if you've been waiting for these rebuilds – now is the time to show up, financially. 💚

🙌 CHALLENGE DH & CHALLENGE ROADSIDE – NEW ADOPTER ALERT!
massive shout out this week to the new adopter who has taken on both Challenge DH and Challenge Roadside – and yes, it's the same absolute legend who already looks after New Exit, aint we lucky?!! 🏆

if you're heading through that section this weekend you have to go for a lap and if you see this legend out there on the tools, stop to tell em how much you love em!! 🙏

🐝 SOME BRAINS WORKING BEE – SUNDAY LEGENDS UNITE
another sunday, another incredible working bee – this time on Some Brains, with volunteers getting stuck into vegetation clearance AND surface repairs.

these are people giving up their weekend because they love this forest. full stop. we love them back 💚

🌲 FOREST LOOP – TŪHUA – THE ONGOING EPIC
the Tūhua section of the Forest Loop has been getting serious professional attention for weeks now and this week was no different – digger and surface repair work across multiple days, with the crew methodically working through every corner to get it absolutely right.

the Forest Loop is already the best Great Ride in New Zealand. Tūhua is about to make that statement completely inarguable. we cannot wait for you to ride it 🌲

the crew also did full trail inspections across multiple Te Ara ki Waipā sections this week – really thorough assessment of what's needed across the whole loop corridor. this is smart, systematic maintenance and it sets the crew up to do targeted, effective work in the weeks ahead.

THE REST OF THE MAHI 🌿

BLACK HOUSE DOWN REOPEN!!! 🏚️💨
Black House Down got a full treatment this week – blowing, vegetation, and surface repairs across two massive, intense sessions. Black House Down was one of the trails we could not get access to during the logging, so it took ALOT of work, but it is now BACK OPEN, so have at it!

APUMOANA 🌿🌳
Apumoana got blown and had tree clearing done this week.

YELLOW BRICK ROAD 🟡🔧
It got a bit munted in the logging but now has a proper entrance and exit put back in, so enjoy.

HOMEWARD BOUND, ROLLER COASTER 🎢💨 CHOP SUEY & CHESTNUT LINK 🏠🥢🔗
all of em got blown and drained on Monday – a solid sweep of this section of the network to keep everything flowing properly. smooth, clear, ready to deliver you where ever you wanna go!

TE RURU 🌳🔧
The Te Ruru adopter was out doing a big surface repair session on Thursday. it's def one of those trails that rewards consistency and the adopter has been delivering exactly that. beautifully maintained and riding great right now!

BOX OF BIRDS 🐦🔧
The Box of Birds adopter has been hard at it, fix a bug bear of theirs! They have installed a very good B line round that awkward rooty drop, so now it is a proper Grade 4 line but you can still hit the drop if you want to. noice.

TAURA 🌿🌳
The Taura adopter was out on Sunday for a quick vegetation and slip clearing session. Taura is one of the most loved trails in the whole Whaka and the adopter keeps it that way week in, week out. chur legend!

LION TRAIL 🦁💧
The Lion Trail adopter got out on Monday for vegetation and drain work. quiet, consistent, effective.

K2 🌿
The K2 adopter was out on Wednesday doing vegetation clearance. K2 is clear and riding well – chur to the adopter for keeping it that way!

JEFF'S LINK & FOREST LOOP – TE ARA KI TUMUNUI 🌲💨
Jeff's Link and Te Ara ki Tumunui both got blowing and vegetation clearance on Tuesday. these Forest Loop connectors are the threads that hold the whole loop experience together and the crew made sure they're in top condition. the Forest Loop is an end-to-end experience right now and every section of it is humming.

💚 THE BOTTOM LINE

Good people holding the trails together. Bad people putting it all at risk. Pull your heads in.

To the RTT crew, adopters, volunteers, donators – all showing up for this forest in different ways, all contributing to something that is genuinely world class.

but world class takes investment. and the rebuilds that this community wants – Eagle vs Shark, Frontal, Billy T, the DH tracks – they are coming. they WILL happen. but only if we fund them together.

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – donate, sponsor a trail, or share this post so someone else can.

every single action moves us closer to the trails we all want. The community we all want. The world class town thriving.

Let's look after each other out there.

aroha nui,

– the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲

14/05/2026

WHAKA WEEKLY 🌲14 May 2026

Kia ora whānau!!

what a week!🌲☀️

the trails are going OFF right now, the RTT crew have been absolutely flat out, the volunteers have shown up in the most extraordinary way, and we have a collaboration story this week that is genuinely one of our favourite things we've ever been part of. also there's a poem. obviously.
let's get into it 👇

🌙 MOONRIDE – THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE

first things first – a massive CONGRATULATIONS to every single person who rode the Cateye Moonride last Saturday 🏆

what a comeback. what an event. what an atmosphere. riders going lap after lap through the Whakarewarewa Forest from day into night – the festival village buzzing, the lights weaving through the trees, the smell of BBQ and the sound of bikes absolutely sending it. this event has been away for five years and it came back like it never left.

to everyone who raced – solo legends, relay teams, e-bike heroes, first timers, veterans who've been waiting years for this to come back – YOU were the event. thank you for bringing the energy and showing the world why Rotorua is the mountain biking capital of New Zealand 🤙

we hope your legs have recovered. mostly. kind of. good luck with the stairs this week 😂

🔥 BE RUDE NOT TO – THE COLLAB OF THE CENTURY
okay. buckle up. because this is the story of the week and it is an absolute BANGER.

this week, Be Rude Not To got a resurfacing tickle – and it wasn't just any resurfacing job. it was a collaboration between the RTT crew and the legends of the Rotorua Rinkly Riders – and we need to take a moment to properly appreciate what went down here.

the Rinkly Riders are not your average trail crew. these are experienced, knowledgeable riders – even at the ripe age of 84, some of these legends are still out there getting their hands dirty and sharing knowledge that you simply cannot learn from a textbook. EIGHTY FOUR YEARS OLD and still out there putting in the mahi. we are not worthy 🙏

so what did they actually do? think of it like roading research but for mountain bike trails. the crew tested a variety of different resurfacing techniques across different sections of Be Rude Not To – no compaction, foot compaction, roller compaction – to see which method produces the best result over time. the RTT crew brought their decades of professional trail building knowledge. the Rinkly Riders brought their own methods and experience for various engineering and farming backgrounds.

Now it's your turn! we need YOU to complete the experiment 🚵‍♂️

in a few weeks we're going to check back in and see how each section has bedded in and which technique has proven most effective. but the only way to get a proper result is for lots of riders to actually RIDE it. so your homework this week is to get out there and ride Be Rude Not To. repeatedly if possible. for science.

we've got our money on the pro trail crew methods 👀 but honestly? we would absolutely love to be surprised. time will tell. what's YOUR money on?
drop a comment below – we genuinely want to know 👇

and to the Rinkly Riders – thank you from the bottom of our hearts. the knowledge shared, the mahi done, and the absolute legend energy you brought to the forest this week is something we won't forget in a hurry. this is intergenerational trail building at its finest 💚

🐝 TIM TAMS WORKING BEE – ANOTHER SUNDAY STUNNER

the Brains Trust volunteers were at it again on Sunday – a full working bee on Tim Tams that delivered the goods in a big way 🙌

you know, sometimes we throw the spotlight out on random one off events, and it might seem like we take the week in, week out mahi from The Brains Trust for granted. We dont. you need to know that crew. there is a reason you are left to it. you are pros, ledgends, regular as clock work, and delievery results that are on par with the RTT trail crew. word.

This be why No Brains and Tim Tams is one of those trails that makes you feel like the forest has been specifically designed for your enjoyment. smooth, flowy, just enough tech to keep things interesting.

this is just what this community does. it shows up. it does more than asked. it leaves the forest better than it found it.

THE MAHI – ALL OF IT 🌲
MOONRIDE EVENT PREP & RECOVERY 🌙

before the Moonride could happen, the RTT crew was out making sure everything was absolutely dialled. Dipper, Creek, Tahi, and Challenge Roadside all got blown out and full event prep treatment on Thursday to make sure every metre was race-ready.

then Mudpool Road got a HUGE blowing and event prep session on Friday – a serious amount of love to get the course corridor in perfect condition. the event looked and rode the way it did because the crew put in the work beforehand. always the way 💪

DODZYS SKILLS PARK 🛴✨
Dodzys Skills Park got a massive blowing session on Thursday – a full day of work to get every inch of it spotless. the Skills Park is where so many riders take their first steps towards actually riding properly, and keeping it in immaculate condition matters. go practise your drops. go learn that berm. go become the rider you were born to be. And if doesnt quite work out, 0800 Whaka1 🚵‍♂️

FOREST LOOP – TŪHUA TOKORANGI PA RD TO THE TANK 🌲🏗️
the Tūhua section continues its multi-week glow up – digger and surface repair work on monday, then compact operator and digger on tuesday, then ANOTHER full digger and surface repair day on wednesday.

this section of the Forest Loop is getting completely transformed and the results are going to be worth every single day the crew has put into it.

the Forest Loop is already the best Great Ride in New Zealand. this section is about to make that argument completely unanswerable 🤌 all diversions are down, the loop is ready to ride! Get out there and love it! ….oooohhh and theres a new loo at the clearing at the end of Te Kōtukutuku! Yay!

PONDY ELEVATOR 🛗💨
Pondy Elevator got a thorough blowing, drains, and vegetation treatment on Monday. Honestly, not my favourite trail but the cross country kids….andthe ebikers….think its a pretty fab linking trail. So there ya go.

TE POAKA – Tree Clearing 🌟🌳
Te Poaka had trees cleared on both Sunday (by volunteers! legends!) and Monday by the RTT crew. two days, two groups of people, all caring about the same iconic trail. Te Poaka is clear, safe, and absolutely ready to remind you why it's the trail everyone brings their friends to 🌟

MINERALS 🪨🌳
Minerals got tree cleared on Monday. classic. reliable. always delivers. go ride it!

SIDEWINDER, APUMOANA EXTENSION, PEST CONTROL…. 💨🌿
Tuesday was a big blowing and vegetation day across this cluster of trails – Sidewinder, Apumoana Extension, the Apumoana Extension to Sidewinder connector, Pest Control all got properly sorted. this whole network section is absolutely humming right now. string them all together for a proper afternoon mission and you will not be disappointed 🚵‍♂️

NEW EXIT & OLD EXIT – Adopter Double 🚪💚
New Exit got surface repair love from the adopter on both Saturday AND Sunday this week, with Old Exit's adopter also getting out on Tuesday for their own surface repair session. three sessions across two trails, three different days, two absolute legends quietly making the forest better. you are both so appreciated 🙏

BUNNY JUGS 2 & PIG TRACK – Adopter Aroha 🐰🐷
Bunny Jugs 2 got blown by the adopter on Thursday and Pig Track got a blowing from its adopter on Friday. and speaking of the Pig Track adopter – they have done it again. a poem. to the tune of The Boys Are Back In Town. we present it to you without further comment because it needs none:

🎸 Guess who went on Pig today, The trail adopter but there was a race the same day, And he didn't wanna get in their way, But man he didn't wanna be lazy.

So on the lower half of Pig he hung around, Blew some pine needles off the ground, Worked out where the next drains should be found, So don't call that guy lazy.

(chorus) Pig's uphill but you can walk down I said, Pig's uphill but you can walk down-a-wow-own Etc… 🐷

we genuinely do not deserve this adopter. Pig Track absolutely does. chur forever and always 💚

💚 THE BIGGER PICTURE
84 years old and out there building trails. volunteers working bees on a Sunday.
adopters writing songs about their trails. the RTT crew running science experiments in resurfacing techniques in collaboration with the community's most experienced riders.

this isn't just trail maintenance. this is a living, breathing, intergenerational community that genuinely loves this forest and refuses to let it be anything less than world class.

if you want to be part of keeping it going

👇 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – 3 clicks. any amount.
straight back into the forest.

now get out there and ride Be Rude Not To. for science. 🔬🚵‍♂️

aroha nui, – the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲

11/05/2026

🌿 New Trail Sponsor Alert | Eastern Spice

We're stoked to welcome .bike as the newest Trail Sponsor of Eastern Spice!

Based in Auckland, Outset is more than just a bike shop. They're a proper community hub for mountain bikers, with a full-service workshop, expert builds, and yes, an in-house barista. The kind of place you go in for a tube and leave two hours later having sorted your entire suspension setup over a coffee.

What makes this one extra special? Owner Bruce rolled up to the last year, we had a great yarn on the day, and he signed up as a sponsor on the spot. Not only that, he also signed his family up for memberships AND bought a Trail Map & sign. That's the kind of support that means everything to a grassroots organisation like ours.

And here's a fun fact while we're at it: Aucklanders actually outnumber Rotorua locals in Trust memberships...🙈

A huge thank you to Bruce and the team at Outset for backing the and what we're building here. Your support goes directly into maintaining and developing the trails you love to ride.

🎥
📸

07/05/2026

WHAKA WEEKLY 🌲🌙

7 May 2026

Kia ora whānau!!

the trails are immaculate. the weather is still giving those gorgeous crispy autumn vibes, now with the added bonus of epic oranges and yellows that make sections of the forest look FIRE!. the RTT crew, the adopters, and the volunteers have collectively been going OFF. and this saturday? one of the most iconic MTB events in all of new zealand is kicking back up for the first time in over five years.
buckle up. this is a good one 🔥

🌙 CATEYE MOONRIDE – THIS SATURDAY 9TH MAY – IT'S BACK BABYYYY 🌙

okay we genuinely cannot contain our excitement about this one!

the Cateye Moonride is back. THIS SATURDAY. at Waipa MTB Carpark. after more than five years away from the calendar, one of the most iconic mountain bike events ever created in Aotearoa is making its long-awaited return to the Whakarewarewa Forest.

originally created in the early 1990s, the Moonride became a long-running fixture on the national cycling calendar, drawing thousands of riders and supporters to Rotorua at its peak – known for its unique atmosphere, night-riding energy, and festival-style race village. and now it's BACK!

the 2026 edition offers both 6-hour and 12-hour race formats, with a 5–7km course looping through the world-class Whakarewarewa Forest. you can enter as a solo rider OR as a relay team of 2–5. there's even a dedicated e-bike division. and if the racing isn't your thing?

the race village, the vibes, the smell of BBQ and the sound of bikes ripping through the forest at night is an experience all on its own. come be part of it.

there's also an Inter-School Trophy, a Business House Trophy, and an Inter-Club Trophy – so if you've been looking for a reason to get the office squad or the school crew together – THIS IS IT 🏆

👉 moonride.co.nz for all the details. get there. it's going to be unreal.

and if you're not racing – come anyway. cheer the riders on. feel the energy. this event helped put Rotorua on the global mountain biking map and its return is a massive deal for our whole community 🤙

🐝 LAST SUNDAY'S WORKING BEE – OKAY THIS ONE WAS BIG!

EIGHTEEN absolute legends rocked up to the working bee last Sunday 🥹

and what did they do? they got down on their hands and knees and pulled w**ds. by hand. THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF WHĀKI. every single w**d. every last one.

pulled out with their bare hands because that's the level of love this community has for this forest.

do you know how long Whāki is? it's long. and they did the whole thing. by hand. on a sunday. FIRE!!!

Because so many rad folks turned up we were able to give Tūkonohi a solid tickle up too – blowing and vegetation sorted all the way through. because eighteen legends showing up means you can actually get TWO trails done in one morning and that is the whole beautiful point of working bees.

this is what happens when people show up. one or two people can do so much. eighteen people can do SO MUCH MORE. the mahi that got done last Sunday would have taken the RTT crew days to schedule and complete. community did it in a morning. with their hands. pulling w**ds. absolute scenes 💚

if you have been thinking about coming to a working bee – please just do it. you will have a great time, you will feel incredible afterwards, and you will be part of something that genuinely matters. next one is Sunday 7th June – save the date now, we want to see your faces there 🤙

THE MAHI THIS WEEK 🌲

FOREST LOOP – TE KŌTUKUTUKU EXTENSION 🌲✨
Te Kōtukutuku Extension got two full days of blowing and vegetation clearance this week – thursday and friday. it's absolutely pristine right now. the Forest Loop is giving main character energy across every single section and this is a big part of why.

MAIDEN VOYAGE ⛵ – Adopter of the YEAR energy
The Mud Maidens are BACK!!! Loved their after work maintenance jams last year, and they are back ON!! This week they di a LOT of surface repairs. like, an absolutely enormous amount of surface repair love poured into this trail. Maiden Voyage is going to be riding so beautifully thanks to the legends that are the Mud Maidens – we see you, we appreciate you, and Maiden Voyage absolutely loves you back 💚

NEW EXIT 🚪🌳
New Exit got tree cleared on friday AND got some adopter surface repair love on saturday. two different people caring about the same trail on back to back days. that's the community this is. that's the whole vibe. New Exit is clear, fresh, and riding great!

PEST CONTROL 🐛💨
Pest Control got a full blown, drained, and vege-cleared treatment on monday. not just the trail but the whole corridor. fresh as. it's called Pest Control but the only pest getting controlled right now is debris and poor drainage – and the crew absolutely handled both 🤙

GRINDER, PIG TRACK & PIGLET 🐷⚙️
the Pig family and Grinder all got blown and vege-cleared on tuesday. all three are running smooth and clean and ready for whatever you want to throw at them. pig track, piglet, grinder – three completely different trails, one crew, one morning, all done. efficiency is the word 💪

TĪTOKORANGI 🏔️💨
Tītokorangi got blown on wednesday – keeping it fresh and fast. this trail has been getting consistent love and it absolutely shows every single time you ride it. go enjoy it!

CORRIDOR TOP JUMPS & CORRIDOR REBUILD 🏗️💨
both sections of the Corridor got blown on wednesday. the rebuild section continues to come along beautifully and the jumps are clear and sending. the Corridor is finding its feet and we are very much here for it 🚀

GUNNA GOTTA & KATORE JUMPS 💨🤸
both got blown on wednesday. Gunna Gotta is gunna be great. Katore Jumps is ready to absolutely send. go find them both this weekend 🤙

💚 AND AS ALWAYS – THANK YOU
to the RTT crew who have been out there every single day this week. to the adopters who just quietly show up and make trails better without being asked. to the eighteen legends at last sunday's working bee pulling w**ds with their bare hands. to everyone who has donated, shared a post, picked up debris on the trail, or just cheered someone on from the side of the track.

this forest is world class because of you. not just because of the trails. because of the people who love them.

if you want to be part of keeping this going 👇 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – 3 clicks. any amount. straight back into the forest.

see you out there this weekend – and we'll definitely see you at the MOONRIDE 🌙🚵

aroha nui, – the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲