Hunua Hillbilly Intermediate
Intermediate
14 (Slow)
12 (Moderate)
9 (Fast)
-6.6%
+6.6%
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
Please set your gender to see your position on the FKT leaderboards.
The more , the harder the FKT will be to beat. Learn about Fastest Known Times.
Description
This is the route for the Hunua Hillbilly event.
This course has been designed to take in all the good bits of the Hunua Ranges which can currently be accessed. To be honest, it pretty much takes in EVERY open track in the Hunua Ranges, good thing they are all just SO good! 😊. You will be taken on a 60km circumnavigation of the Hunua Ranges Regional Park, with the centre point to your day being the stunning event base location of the upper Mangatawhiri campground – where your run will start and finish.
The bulk of the run will be on grunty single track under the cover of stunning native bush. There will also be a combination of gravel roads, MTB trail, boardwalks, swing bridges and even the odd Water Care dam mixed in for good measure.
Follow the bulk of the "Farm Loop" through the valley/Mountain Biking trails to start with - this is the trickiest part to navigate but it is also the safest/less remote area of the course. From there, you are following established council tracks with not many junctions, they are well marked and easy to follow with a topo map and even the basic park map if necessary. Keep in mind, that it becomes more technical between the 22km until about 42km in.
When you aren’t under the very welcome cover of the bush, you will enjoy some of the most stunning 360 views that the Auckland Region and New Zealand has to offer, including reaching the highest point in the city at 688m – Kohukohunui nicknamed, 'K Trig'. This is the sort of run that will have you hoping it never ends and hanging out for the finish line all at once!
Trail Community
Features of interest
Amazing native bush, great bird life including the Kōkako Management area. Multiple dams/lakes. A small river crossing.
Make Up of Run
Technical Single Track: 35%
Moderate Single Track: 25%
Easy Single Track: 20%
Gravel Road: 20%
Route Data
Reviews:
Overlapping Runs
The following trails overlap with this run 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 Strava activity for each
Ernie's loop
Length: 15.00km
Challenge / Ernies Loop
Length: 21.00km
Hunua Magic
Length: 23.60km
Wairoa Suspension Loop
Length: 8.00km
Hunua Hustle
Length: 13.30km
Challenge Track
Length: 10.00km
Ernie's Pukupuka Combined Loop
Length: 23.45km
Pukapuka Track
Length: 15.50km
Photos:
Your Trail Wishlist
All the runs that are on your To Do list (no limit).
Add to wishlist view wishlistWild Explorers
I did it!-
Access
Upper Mangatawhiri Campground - Hunua, Auckland.
Good council gravel parking area, next to info board/map and toilets.
15 km
20 minutes
Yes
Yes
Name: Auckland Council -
Staying Safe
Moderate.
Following the bulk of the "Farm Loop" through the valley/MTB trails to start with - this is the trickiest part to navigate. From there, you are following established council tracks with not many junctions.
Very patchy.
Short-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map.
There are a couple of river crossings (23km & 40km) and huts (22km & 47km) with water - but recommended to be treated at each.
Can get a little muddy after rain.
The middle section (from 22km to 42km) is very tough going and slow - be prepared for this.
-
Post run indulgence
Hunua store
Hunua
Decent pie, coffee and cakes. Not much else close by. - Blog Posts and Articles
-
Sponsor this trail
