Last Updated: 14th Mar 2025
Red Rocks Loop
Submitted by James Goodwill
Last Updated: 14th Mar 2025
Grunt Factor: 21 ?
Gnarl Factor: 58 ?
13.3km
460m
460m
399m
Last Updated: 14th Mar 2025
Submitted by James Goodwill
Last Updated: 14th Mar 2025
Grunt Factor: 21 ?
Gnarl Factor: 58 ?
13.3km
460m
460m
399m
Front country - easily accessible
Loop
Very hilly
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Beach
Coastal
Open ridges/tops
Sealed Road
Farm Road / 4WD Track
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +10.1%
Average Downhill Gradient: -10.3%
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2:00
Slow
1:30
Moderate
1:15
Fast
Starting at the car park, head back to the road and then straight up (not along the coastal road) towards Brooklyn for just over 2Ks. Just before the landfill the Tip Track sign will be visible, head up here - it's straight up and brutal but worth it. There's 2 "left turn" trails before the one you want - you can't miss it, it's the only one that's a "cross roads" 3.3Ks into the Tip Track (around about the 6K mark). Turn left on this trail and follow it straight down to the top of the coast. Don't take the first left trail or you will end up back at the Tip Track. The single track will go on this ridgeline for about 3Ks of mainly downhill to another junction. Take the left trail to Red Rocks at this point and follow it all the way down to the coast with a couple of river crossings in the way. At the coast, head left to go back to the start on a 4x4 track along the beach. A slight diversion on turning right will take you to "Devil's Gate" (you can't miss it) and the seal colony - just don't get too close.
Wind turbines and seal colonies.
Te Kopahou Red Rocks Visitor Centre.
Ample parking at the visitors centre.
8 km
17 minutes
Yes
No
Moderate.
Two tracks going off the Tip Track - one will bring you back to your car via Owhio bay much sooner than anticipated through farmland and sheep; the other will drop you into "Spooky Gully" and makes for an excellent diversion if you're feeling up for the challenge - it's a harder ascent / descent than the Tip Track itself
Perfect throughout.
Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
At the Visitor's centre. Toilets, running water. Stream also near the beach
Windy. Almost always windy.
Some landslips. All of this is pretty much on a fault line also, which is why it's spectacular in part also - swings and roundabouts
Beach House Cafe,
Owhiro Bay - just round the coast a bit from the car park
close by. Does food, coffee, beers etc, and on non-windy days has an excellent outdoor
Spruce Goose
Lyall Bay - further round the coast towards the airport
close to the airport - good views over the coast and planes coming and going.
Maranui cafe
Lyall Bay
Views over the beach, sea, airport, etc. good food also
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Lovely way to see the raw beauty of Wellington's south coast and Red Rocks. I chose a day with a northerly and ran anti-clockwise which worked well. Great views of the South Island and snow of the mountains down there. Tip Track is a good climb - better that the track has been recently graded. The drop down to the Red Rocks is a nice technical descent - watch your feet and not the views!
August 5, 2024
PG
Love this local loop. I prefer to run it clockwise, warming up along the south coast then climbing up the Red Rocks track. The coastal section can be quite eaten up after a big southerly storm and the climbs will keep you honest. Fabulous views are totally worth the effort.
March 9, 2024
Classic route and one I haven’t done as a stand-alone run for a while. The single track down to Red Rocks is a bit overgrown with gorse but still a lot of fun. The 4WD sections have been recently graded (13 Feb).
February 13, 2021
Great route. as noted in the status above, got redirected just before the beach.
Weather was also cloudy so no views from the top unfortunately.
December 22, 2020
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.
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