Urban fringe
Loop
Undulating, small hills only
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Plantation/exotic forest
Gravel Road
Moderate Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +3.1%
Average Downhill Gradient: -3.9%
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2:30
Slow
1:45
Moderate
1:30
Fast
From the start point head up Barlow road for 100m, then turn left through the gate into the event base. There is a very large shed here so its quite obvious. Continue across the front of the shed then turn left into the first trail approx 100m along.
Stay on this trail keeping left at track junctions until you emerge onto a gravel road (Campbell Road). Turn right and stay on this road for 1.8km until you see Long Bush Road on the right (Note that a lot of the sign posts in Riverhead have it spelt "Long Buhs" road!) Turn onto Long Bush road heading uphill. After 1.2km you will pass Spinlay Road on the left. Just past that (approx 300m) there is a gravel road that veers to the right and up hill so take that.
You will pop out on a ridge line. Head down the ridge line onto the single track at the end. Stay on this single track veering left at any junctions until you get to a gravel road where you turn left. Stay on this road for 600m until it runs out. There is a track off to the right over a bridge over the creek, but ignore this and continue straight ahead onto the single track. Continue on this track veering right at any junctions.
After approx 1.1km on a straight flat part of track, there will be another track off to the right, so take that. Stay on this for 100m until you cross a wooden bridge, then turn right at the next junction. Stay on this track for 1.7km veering right at any track junctions EXCEPT the one about 900m along, veer left at that one (it's the other end of the bridge over the creek previously ignored). Eventually you will end up on another gravel road (Anzac Road). Turn left here and head up the road.
Stay on this road for approx 2.5km where another road will branch off to the right. There is a yellow sign post on the left at this junction. Head down the hill on this road for 1km where you will find a track off to the right that follows along side a steam. Take this track and stay on it ignoring all other side tracks until you get back to the event base.
A great sample of what Riverhead has to offer with a mix of runnable gravel roads and some nice single track
If you know of any public toilets near the trail start or on the route, please login and then let us know so we can update this section.
Plenty of parking at the start point, although at time there may be other events on from here so can get busy at times.
36 km
34 minutes
Yes
No
Moderate.
Riverhead has trails all over the place and the majority of them aren't labelled well or at all. It pays to download the GPX and follow the route on your watch or phone.
Patchy.
Long-sleeved thermal top, Windproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
None available
Riverhead in winter is notorious for mud, the gravel roads are fine, but the trails can get quite boggy, but that's part of the fun!
All trails are shared use with mountain bikers and the occasional horse or dirt bike.
Hallertau Brewery
1171 Coatesville Riverhead Highway, Auckland
https://hallertau.co.nz/visit/riverhead
Great selection of food and beer
Riverhead Mini Mart
1053 Coatsville Riverhead Highway, Riverhead
https://www.northwestcountry.co.nz/business/riverhead-mini-mart/
Cheap and delicious milkshakes and thick shakes!
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Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and The Riverhead Capital E
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Really enjoyed this collection of trails, good mix of trail and forestry road and runnable. It is Riverhead, so was muddy on the trails, was great fun. Glad I had map on my watch, as lots of different trail options and went wonky a couple of times. One of the bridges was broken (I didn't risk walking the remaining plank), and some trees in a couple of places fallen over the trail, but nothing significant that stops you completing the route.
November 5, 2023
I did this run after a few days of rain and spent most of it trying not to slip over. Plenty of mud along the trails but also some good 4wd tracks where you can get some actual running in. This is probably one of the better routes in Riverhead. I really enjoyed it
May 22, 2022
These overlap with this trail to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate activity for each.