West Coast Wilderness Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Coast Wilderness Trail |
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The West Coast Wilderness Trail shortly before Cowboy Paradise
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| Length | 139 km (86 mi) |
| Location | West Coast, New Zealand |
| Trailheads | Greymouth / Ross |
| Use | Walking Cycling |
| Highest point | 319 m |
| Difficulty | Easy to intermediate |
| Season | Year round |
| Sights | West Coast Gold Rush relics Rainforest historic Hokitika West Coast Treetop Walk |
| Hazards | some roads shared with traffic Taramakau River Bridge (prior to clip on construction) |
| Website | |
The West Coast Wilderness Trail is an exciting adventure path in New Zealand. It's part of a bigger project called the New Zealand Cycle Trail. This amazing track is 139 kilometers (about 86 miles) long. It connects the town of Greymouth in the north to Ross in the south. Right now, the part from Greymouth to Hokitika is open for everyone to enjoy.
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History of the Trail
The New Zealand Cycle Trail project was a big idea. The government and the Green Party worked together to make it happen. Important people like John Key, who was the Minister of Tourism, and Kevin Hague from the Green Party helped a lot.
The first part of the trail, from Greymouth to Hokitika, opened on November 23, 2013. It was a special day at the historic Theatre Royal Hotel in Kumara. There were some delays with the last part of the trail to Ross. But it was planned to open fully by October 2015.
Exploring the Trail Sections
You can ride or walk the West Coast Wilderness Trail in three or four days. Most people like to start in the north and head south. The trail has different difficulty levels. Some parts are easy (grade 2), and some are a bit harder (grade 3). Let's look at each section!
Greymouth to Kumara
The trail officially begins in Greymouth. You'll find the start next to the old railway signal box by the Grey River. The path then follows the coast. It goes all the way to the Taramakau River.
At the Taramakau River, you currently cross a special bridge. It's the last bridge in the South Island used by both cars and trains! A new path just for bikes is being built. This 30-kilometer section is considered very easy (grade 1).
Kumara to Cowboy Paradise
From Kumara, the trail slowly goes uphill. You'll be heading towards the Southern Alps. Along the way, you'll see old water channels. These were built during the West Coast Gold Rush to find gold. Today, they help make electricity.
The path uses an old pack track in the Kawhaka Valley. The highest point of the trail is Kawhaka Pass, at 317 meters (about 1,040 feet) high. From the pass, it's about 5 kilometers (3 miles) to a unique place called Cowboy Paradise. It's a town built to look like an old western movie! This 37-kilometer section is a bit harder (grade 2+).
Cowboy Paradise to Hokitika
Leaving Cowboy Paradise, you'll have a fun 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) downhill ride towards the Arahura River. It's so much fun, you might want to ride back up and do it again! After the river, there's a short, tough climb. Then, it's downhill again towards Lake Kaniere.
From there, you'll ride on a mix of trail and road to the small town of Kaniere. Finally, you reach Hokitika by following an old tramline next to the Hokitika River. This 36-kilometer section is rated as intermediate (grade 3-) because of that steep climb.
Hokitika to Ross
The trail leaves Hokitika by crossing the Hokitika River Bridge. This part of the trail is still being finished. In some places, cyclists have to use narrow parts of the main road. This makes it an advanced section (grade 4) for now.
Once finished, this section will follow an old tramline. It will even take you close to the West Coast Treetop Walk near Lake Mahinapua. You can take a fun side trip to walk high up in the trees! Further south, the path will follow an old railway line to Ross. This includes a beautiful 200-meter (656-foot) long railway bridge over the Totara River. When this 36-kilometer section is complete, it will be an intermediate ride (grade 3).
How the Trail Helps the Area
The West Coast Wilderness Trail cost about NZ$8.6 million to build. The government and a group called Development West Coast shared the cost. Now, local councils help pay for its upkeep.
One main goal of the New Zealand Cycle Trail is to help small towns. It brings new life and visitors to places that need it. In 2015, about 8,000 people used the trail each year. More people are expected to visit in the future.
The West Coast has faced some tough times. But the cycle trail is helping local businesses. For example, the Theatre Royal Hotel in Kumara was restored. It's now ready for visitors coming to ride the trail.
Cowboy Paradise is another place benefiting. The owner, Mike Milne, said:
I think this beast, this cycle way, is exceeding anybody's expectations of what it possibly could have done. Which is a good thing for the community and a good thing for the businesses along the way.
The trail's opening also happened around the same time as other exciting events. Eleanor Catton's book The Luminaries, which is about the West Coast, won a big award. Also, Lonely Planet named the West Coast one of the top places to visit. All these things helped bring international attention to the West Coast Wilderness Trail.
