The Heaphy

Updated 19 December 2011

The Heaphy is arguably New Zealand's premier multi-day mountain bike ride... 74 kilometres of benched singletrack winding through the backcountry from Golden Bay to Karamea and the nikau palm clad beaches of the West Coast. In 1996 North West Nelson Forest Park became Kahurangi National Park and mountain biking was no longer allowed on the Heaphy and a handful of other great tracks in the area.

May 2011... the NZ Conservation Authority has approved the Kahurangi National Park Management Plan. That means mountain biking is to be trialed on the Heaphy, Flora Saddle to Barron Flat and the (full) Kill Devil tracks. The season on the Heaphy is May through September. Flora Saddle and Kill Devil are year round. Yippee.

It's fifteen long years since Kahurangi became a National Park and the Heaphy was off-limits to mountain bikes. Many have patiently battled to regain access to NZ's premier multiday singletrack mountain bike ride:
> Bryce Buckland (and Tony Lilleby) from Nelson kicked off the crusade back in 1995. In recent years Bryce often mused that progress was so slow that his body might not last the distance.
> Kevin Hague researched, authored and presented Mountain Bike NZ's weighty submission to the pivotal Draft General Policy National Parks. It was a persuasive document as the Policy was subsequently changed in 2006 to allow for mountain bikes on selected tracks. Kevin is now a Green MP, campaigning for all things cycling.
> At Ground Effect we have lived and breathed the Heaphy for longer than we dare admit.
> Sean Barnett, along with Federated Mountain Clubs' Executive, was instrumental in determining the opinion of their membership, and subsequently supporting seasonal access for bikes on the Heaphy.
> Nelson MP and former Minister of Conservation Nick Smith has publicly lobbied for bikes on the Heaphy since the late 90's.
> Brian Nathan from White Fox and Jones provided legal advice that helped establish the validity of MTBNZ's position.
> The staff at Nelson/Marlborough DOC who were always open to the notion, and thus allowed for science and pragmatism to prevail.
> And of course 1100 of you made submissions to the General Policy and the Kahurangi National Park Management Plan.

> There are plenty out there keen to see the three year trial fail. Prove them wrong by following the rules:
- Stick to the winter season - May through September.
- Watch out for walkers and other track users. In particular, resist temptation and ride with extra caution down from Perry Saddle and Mackay Huts.
- Keep to the designated track - exploration by foot only.
- Be flexible and delay your trip in bad weather - DOC may close the track after heavy rain.
- Don't hunt in packs - maximum group size is six.
- No night riding - to protect powelliphanta giant land snails and spotted kiwi.
- Keep the huts and verandahs bike-free.
- Follow the Mountain Bikers' Code. Respect Others; Respect the Track; and Respect the Rules.

More details on the ride here.

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