Naesby Forest

A day, half day or even an hour in the Naesby Forest is ranked by many as some the best XC single track in New Zealand. It's a mountain biking mecca in the middle of Central Otago that begs to be explored.

Small little Naesby was once a bustling gold town in the 1800s. Today, a visit in the off season will reveal a quiet little South Island town that almost seems deserted. Save for the pub, the cafe, the bike shop and some well preserved buildings from the 1800s, there isn't much going on in Naesby.

Except, of course, the privately owned Naesby Forest which brings in mountain bikers from all over New Zealand and the world. Planting of the forest you see today began in 1900 and now Douglas fir, larch, and Corsican pine have seeded to create the backdrop for the MTB mecca you see today. Naesby's extremly hot summers result in the tracks very rarely being too wet to ride.

The maze of tracks in the Naesby Forest will inevitably result in you at some point getting 'lost.' The joy to getting lost in Naesby is that you're only minutes away from another cruisy purpose built or natural water race single track ride. A mountain biker's playground at its finest and one you'll be dying to come back to.

We suggest you tackle Naesby in one of two ways. Option one is swinging by Kila's Bike Shop to grab a map of the forest and some inside knowledge. If Kila isn't around (chances are he is out riding or building more tracks), call into the cafe next door and grab a coffee and a map. Option two, is hopping on the saddle and exploring some of New Zealand's best XC single tracks on your own.

One thing we know for sure, you're bound to leave Naesby with a smile on your face and a desire to explore the forest again.