Urban fringe
Loop
Undulating, some big hills
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Sealed Road
Farm Road / 4WD Track
Easy Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +20.7%
Average Downhill Gradient: -20.1%
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1:15
Slow
1:00
Moderate
0:45
Fast
A beautiful loop right on the edge of the city, easily doable as a lunchtime jaunt for city based desk jockeys, but still worth a trip from further afield. It can be done in either direction, but for maximum enjoyment counter-clockwise is best. Clinical not so much, but the other trails are pretty popular, including being used by mountain bikers.
This is a pretty easy route to follow, in most cases follow your nose. From the starting point at the Waimapihi Reserve main entrance head up Aro Street. Veer left onto Holloway Rd. After a few corners there is a 4WD track with a gate on the right, head up the track and after 100m or so take the hairpin to the left onto 'Clinical' - it's (pretty much) all single track from here! Enjoy the single track bliss through the beautiful regenerating native bush all the way to George Denton park.
Follow your nose over the road and up another short section of 4WD track alongside the fence line.Keep left and duck back into the bush onto 'Highbury Fling', a spectacular flowing, undulating trail. Cross the new bridge, keep heading straight till you pop out at the road.
A few steps off the trail you'll find a stair which descends onto "Transient', its all downhill from here! Eventually pop out on 4WD track, past the pylon take a hard left to continue down 'Transient' - DON'T take 'Serendipity' this is downhill MTB only.
Savour the final section of trail before you are back at the start.
'Lone Pine Lookout' which has about 5 pines on it, and no view.
Aro Park in Aro Street.
There is street parking only. Head up Aro Street and park anywhere near the main Waimaphi/Polhill reserve entrance. You should be able to get a park easily. if you are there early, just remember to fold your wing mirror in to save losing it, it is a very tight road and Wellington buses stop for no one! If no parks on Aro St you can carry on up the hill and turn left onto Holloway Road, or left up Adams Terrace. Both are residents parking areas during the week. The No. 25 bus comes from town and there's a stop right at the entrance. It its so close to town you might as well add a km or 2 warm-up and just run to the trail head!
2 km
10 minutes
Yes
No
Easy.
Perfect throughout.
Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
There is a water fountain at the Reserve main entrance, just off the footpath.
Well maintained and totally run-able year round.
Garage Project
Aro St
Some of the best craft beer in Welly. Grab whatever the beer of the month is straight off the tap. It might only be 7kms, but you've still earned a beer.
Aro St. Cafe
Aro St. (surprisingly)
Reliably good coffee and cabinet food
Te Aro Fish Supplies Ltd.
Aro St.
Does anything beat greasy, salty chips after a run?
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Waimapihi Treatie
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Soooo nice. Beautiful, runnable trails through gorgeous bush. Ran with dog on a stormy day and well sheltered and not too muddy. Very well maintained and not overgrown at all. Understandibly very popular.
January 27, 2024
Gorgeous little loop of mostly single track. For a beginner’s loop so close to the CBD, it doesn’t get better than this!
November 13, 2022
I love this track...relatively sheltered mostly singletrack through NZ native bush. It can be a bit muddy but on the whole reasonably good even if it is wet and windy. The overall elevation is closer to 200m (not 700m) and none of the trail is particularly steep so a very fast runnable undulating and windy trail. Great fun!
October 24, 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.