Last Updated: 8th Jul 2026
Last Updated: 8th Jul 2026
Open
Grunt Factor: 13 ?
Gnarl Factor: 34 ?
9.2km
375m
375m
Urban fringe
Loop
Undulating, some big hills
Native bush
Plantation/exotic forest
Open tussock/grasslands
Farm Road / 4WD Track
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +8.20%
Average Downhill Gradient: -8.20%
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2:15
Slow
1:30
Moderate
1:00
Fast
Park at the overflow carpark and you can jump straight on to the trail (go left). Follow "Home and Away" until you hit a small clearing where the information boards and toilet are. From here take the forestry access road all the way up to its end, then continue up along the joining link track. Carry on along here about 800m then turn left on to "Primeval Uphill" and carry on about 1Km further up, to the top!
Then it's a right turn on to "Primeval Downhill" and about 1Km down until you're left onto "Prince Albert". Follow this until you come to "Log Rhythm" on your left, turn onto here and follow this trail all the way down to its end and the forestry access road.
Jump on the access road for a bit and carry on until you hit "Home and Away" on the right (just before you hit Sainsbury Road). Then it's back along "Home and Away" to the carpark.
Note: Trail is in an active mountain biking park. The MTB club are pretty supportive of runners but please let's look after that by following the rules: Avoid club events and busy times, check signs and note direction of travel (this route goes same direction as cyclists).
Opens out to big views on the way down, a couple of nice streams to see.
Long drop toilet at the information sign in the MTB Park (500m on from the end of Sainsbury Rd).
Small carparks on Sainsbury Rd. There's a long drop toilet by the information sign about 500m further along the track from the end of the road.
6 km
12 minutes
No
No
Moderate.
Patchy.
Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, Survival blanket, Cellphone
No reliable source of drinking water, there are two streams you go past.
Bikes! Avoid club events and busy times, check signs and note direction of travel on the MTB tracks (this route goes same direction as cyclists).
Mountain Folk Cafe
Pirongia
https://mountainfolk.co.nz/
Nearest cafe, nice garden setting and decent coffee
Do you have another suggestion on where to go afterwards for the best coffee / cake / breakfast / brunch / beer?
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Sainsbury Forest Foot Loop
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