Waione Tram Mountain Bike Trail

The Forest Park is very remote with huge tall trees enveloping you as you ride.

The track starts about 8.5 kilometres on from Piropiro Flats camping ground.  Ride/drive direction south up Koromiko Road vearing left onto Piropiro Rd and then right onto Totara Stream Rd.  From the obvious car park here the Waione Tram Trail climbs immediately up a steep clay quad-bike track known as the ‘Pan handle’  (one of the advantages of riding is you get a good warm up before takling this climb).  This eventually levels out and for a fast but easy descent towards the Maramataha Valley.

Follow the trails downstream for a short distance before a steep descent takes you down to the Maramataha River which should be avoided during periods of rain.  The current in this river is strong although there is a thin steel rope to assist you.

One more steep ascent after crossing the rive and you are eventually up onto easier undulating country for the pretty much the remainder of this part of the ride.  Eventually the track joins an old tramline and the main loop starts at an obvious t-junction.

Follow the loop around through native forest.  There are large native cabbage tree clearing which provide ideal places to stop and eat your packed lunch.  Ride back out the same way you came in.

The Piropiro Flats area was a small village in the 1930s, including a school and sawmill. The tram lines in the loop part of the ride were a separate line in the 1920s, running timber down the valley towards Ongarue.