Wild Things - New Zealand's trail running community
New Zealand's trail running community

Login



don't have an account?

3 Peaks Plus 1, Otago

Trail Directory proudly supported by Further Faster

Update Your Header Picture

3 Peaks Plus 1Intermediate

Submitted by Steve Tripp

Info Info
Map Loading

Trail Information

55.00km

2880m

2865m

 

Otago

Dunedin

Urban fringe

Point to Point (one way)

Very hilly

Native bush
Plantation/exotic forest
Open ridges/tops

Intermediate

11:00 (Slow)
8:00 (Moderate)
6:00 (Fast)

-10.5%

+10.6%

This route is entirely on public land and is open all year.

Download PDF Guide

Fastest Known Times (FKTs)

Please set your gender to see your position on the FKT leaderboards.

Men

Show more

Women

Show more

Filter FKTs

The more , the harder the FKT will be to beat. Learn about Fastest Known Times.

Missing your time?

Register or login as a VIP and get yourself on the FKT leaderboard!

Register Now

Description

The run starts on Woodhaugh St and in 400 turns into the Ross Creek reservoir reserve. Follow those trails up to join the Pineapple track for the first big climb up Flagstaff.

Carry on over to the bullring on Whare Flat Rd and cross the road to join the Longridge Rd forestry road. 1.5km down that turn right onto Smeatons track and join back onto Longridge Rd at the bottom. Back onto Whare Flat Rd then onto Tunnel Track. Keep following that and along beside the water race until the route down to Powder Creek.

Cross Silverstream (probably with wet feet) and 500m later turn right for the big climb up Powder Ridge and then up Long Ridge to Pulpit Rock the course highpoint. Follow Green Ridge down to Hightop and then turn right toward Swampy Summit.

At Swampy pass the Summit and head for the cell tower then down Leith Saddle track turn right into the flax track to head down into Morrisons Gully and Leith Valley.

Head up Leith Valley Rd for 1.5km and just over the bridge turn left in the track through the forestry to head up Mt Cargill.

From the summit head down the trail to Bethunes and follow the road to the finish at Mt Cargill.


Trail Community

Find people who are interested in this run.

You must register or login to view this content.

Features of interest

Obviously the biggest feature of interest is this is the route for the 3 Peaks Mountain Race 55km distance. Also you pass a historic water race that used to provide Dunedin's water supply in the 1880s. Lots of really nice native bush sections with good bird life thanks to an active pest management programme.


Make Up of Run

Technical Single Track: 10%

Moderate Single Track: 20%

Easy Single Track: 50%

Farm Road / 4WD Track: 10%

Gravel Road: 5%

Sealed Road: 5%


Route Data

Reviews:

You must register or login to view this content.


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

Mt Cargill and Organ Pipes

Mt Cargill and Organ Pipes

Length: 10.50km

The Bullring Basher

The Bullring Basher

Length: 37.00km

The 3 Peaks

The 3 Peaks

Length: 26.40km


Photos:

You must register or login to view this content.

Your Trail Wishlist

All the runs that are on your To Do list (no limit).

Add to wishlist view wishlist

Your Trail Dreamlist

The runs you most want to do (limited to 10).

Add to dreamlist view dreamlist

Wild Explorers

I did it!
  • Access

    Woodhaugh St, Dunedin.

    Usually a bit of on-street parking is available on Woodhaugh St or Malvern St.

    0 km

    0 minutes

    No

    No

  • Staying Safe

    Moderate.

    There's a lot of other trails around so best to download a gpx onto your phone or watch and follow that. Or you can enter the race and it will be well marked and marshalled.
    Cell coverage is available on the tops but patchy elsewhere.

    Patchy.

    Thermal leggings, Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Survival bag, Cellphone, Map.

    Water in Silverstream (20km) is drinkable. Apart from that there is almost nothing.

    Swampy ridge is always muddy. Rain at any time of the year can add a bit more in other sections. Silverstream (20km) can be high in a massive deluge but usually OK the day after. Pulpit Rock and Swampy sections are high and exposed and can get very cold and windy with no visibility in bad weather than can be any time of the year.

    Rocks, mud, river crossing that might be high in very high rainfall.

  • Post run indulgence

    Inch Bar
    8 Bank St
    https://www.facebook.com/Inch-Bar-100507150007389/
    Good beer Good company Great atmosphere Open fire in winter

  • Blog Posts and Articles
  • Sponsor this trail

    If you are interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch below:

    Submit

Got a favourite trail? Tell us about it.

Share the love and add your favourite trail(s) to our growing trail directory.

Submit A Trail

Become a member today

Start enjoying the many benefits to becoming a member of our thriving community.

Become a member

Great brands at great prices with our VIP member's discount

Stay up to date

Sign up to our newsletter for latest offers and trail guides

Share this trail with a friend:

VIP Membership

Please register as a VIP or login to your VIP account to view this content.

Cancel Login Register

Membership Required

You can see up to three trail guides without being logged in but after that we require you to be logged in to your Free or VIP account. If you don’t yet have an account you can register here.

Login Register