Titokorangi/Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest

Kaingaroa Tipu has engaged an independent arborist to undertake tree felling works at 99 Sala Street between 7 September and 15 September 2026. The works will be carried out between 7:00am and 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.

Temporary traffic management may be in place on some roads while felling is underway. For safety reasons, the link trail to the eastern exit of the dog park (old DOC office) will be closed for the duration of the operation.

Please use caution when near the work area and follow all signage, instructions, and restrictions, as these are in place for your safety.

Anyone wishing to access the dog park must do so via Titokorangi Dr (formerly Long Mile Road). People travelling through the area by bike or on foot are encouraged to use the proposed alternative route.

Big shout out to Romanes Construction, the Downhill Community and Descend Rotorua for this huge effort!
Still more to go so stay tuned.

Our man is back and the Whaka Weekly is informative as always. (Last weeks edition was pretty cool though!)
Thanks RTT for another week of hard graft.

WHAKA WEEKLY 🌲

20 August 2026

Kia ora whānau!!

im BACK! Boom! Great to be back in Rotorua, traveled all round and feels great to be home. Sometime s you dont realise just how good we have it here till you leave. The last few whaka weekly posts were an absolute blast to write (we hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed making them 😄), and the forest? absolutely mint. what a time to be in Rotorua.

crispy mornings, sunny days, trails in fantastic condition, and a community that has been absolulty smashing it out there. let's get into it 👇

🔥 TE RUA – OPEN AND BETTER THAN EVER
The rumors are true, the RTT build team have been very sneaky and very talented and Te Rua has had a full refresh. a proper, skilled, thoughtful rebuild that has taken everything that made Te Rua great and made it better. the loamy goodness, the side features, the features you know and love – all still there. just better shaped, better flowed, better everything.

the community on Trailforks said it best: "great fun, many side features to hit if you're feeling up to it"

grade 5 rippers – this one is calling your name. go ride it. go love it. go hit every side feature you can find.

and if it delivers (and it will) – do the build team a solid and leave them a tip via the donation portal. not because anyone is making you. just because it's the right thing to do and you know it 🙏 how much WOULD you pay to ride here vs how much DO you donate? Lets get those numbers closer together eh?

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz

❄️ FROST DAMAGE – LET'S TALK ABOUT IT
thank you to everyone who has been sending through reports of frost-affected areas in the forest. the community's eyes out there make a real difference and we see every report.

but here's something worth understanding – because it might change how you think about riding on frosty mornings.

what frost actually does to a trail:
when temperatures drop below zero, the water in the soil freezes and expands. this pushes soil particles apart, breaking up the surface and turning what was a solid, packed trail into a soft, muddy mess. it looks terrible. it feels terrible. its absolutely terrible to ride on….unless you love that sort of thing.

but here's the counterintuitive bit. if we scoop off that mud and try to "repair" it – the trail gets lower. the next frost hits. the same thing happens. we scoop again. by the end of winter, the same section of trail has been "repaired" ten times and is now sitting 50cm lower than it was in autumn. and it'll just keep happening.

if we leave it alone? it rides out. once the frost cycle ends and the ground warms up, the soil naturally recompacts and the surface goes back to flat. no intervention needed. no shovels. no crew time. just patience and nature doing its thing.

so the genuinely best thing for the trail? Dont do anything. In a month or two the season will shift, the frosts will stop, and the trails will come right on their own.
there aren't many frosts left in the season now. hang tight. the forest will reward patience 🙏

we're not going to go running around putting signs up and pulling them down every time a frost hits – but we have put together a simple frost warning sign that will go up on key affected areas so there's a heads up when it matters. keep an eye out for them.

Still, the best decision maker and H&S officer is YOU. if you see frost on the ground, slow down, use caution.

🧠💪 THE BRAINS TRUST + MUD MAIDENS – COLLAB OF THE SEASON
the Brains Trust volunteer crew have been teaming up with the Mud Maidens riding group out on Maiden Voyage and it is the best colab sinch Jason Gunn and Thingee (yup im that old) different crews, same love for the forest, incredible results.

here's what they've been getting done together 👇

🛫 MAIDEN VOYAGE – Jump Shaping, B-Line Love & Drain Work
the top jump got a proper reshape – angled more in line with the trail direction and made a whole lot less kicky. much more inviting for a wider range of riders. then when the weather wasn't playing ball for the planned gap jump upgrades, the crew pivoted straight to the b-line – ripped out the soggy rotting punga and replaced it with proper material that'll actually last. while they were at it, they used the wet conditions as an excuse to walk (read: slide down 😂) the trail hunting for puddles and knocking out a solid round of drain work.

and earlier in the season – the rotting wood on that first dropping right-hand corner? gone. replaced with solid new wood. done properly.

Maiden Voyage is riding so well right now. the Trailforks reports confirm it – "running much better since the tidy up, so nice to have the breaking bumps a bit nicer and the bottom section has many fun side hits. The love it has got is making it more fun" – and that's straight from the community who are out there lapping it.
chur to every single person involved. 💚

🌟 THE INVISIBLE CREW – COMMUNITY MAHI ROUND-UP
And now here's a run-down of everything the adopters and volunteers got done from the Trailforks reports:

🐷 PIG TRACK
trees came down across Ovata Road where Pig Track crosses it – reported by the community and cleared by what one reporter called "the invisible crew" who (alothough we know who they are and they are certified to operate chainsaws in the forest) just showed up and sorted it without anyone asking. that's the whole vibe right there. legend behaviour 💚

🐦 BOX OF BIRDS
drains rescalloped from the Forest Loop bridge all the way up to Tokorangi Pa Road, breaking bumps dug out and the steep section above the squeeze recompacted. then earlier in the month – the lower half raked top to bottom. consistent, caring mahi on one of the most fun trail combos in the network 🙌

✌️ AS YOU DO
drains rescalloped and the bottom section raked – keeping this one in great condition through a tough stretch of weather. As You Do is doing just fine thanks to the adopter who keeps showing up 🤙

🌿 LENTIL ROAD
tree cleared and reported – clean and open. chur to the legend who reported it!

🚪 OLD EXIT
multiple sessions on the lower section this month – work on work on work. Old Exit is getting consistent love and it shows. go explore it!

🥢 BUNNY JUGS 2
blown and drains cleared on the second half near the shuttle pick-up. small session, real impact. chur!

🛣️ CHALLENGE ROADSIDE
the adopter has been rebuilding the second half – first berm rebuilt, step down rebuilt, following step down rebuilt, three bog sections repaired. this is serious feature construction work from an adopter who simply will not stop. the trail is getting better every single week 💪

🌲 FOREST LOOP – MULTIPLE SECTIONS
the Forest Loop adopters have been quietly keeping sections humming throughout – Forest Loop Tūhua sections, Te Ara A Whero, Te Pikitanga Whangapipiro, Arepa Weherua, Te Ara ki Waipā sections all reporting ideal conditions. the Forest Loop is a massive undertaking to maintain and the people who look after it section by section are absolute legends 🌲

🔗 MOKOPUNA TO WATTLES CONNECTOR
work started on clearing that eternal puddle between the Dual Slalom Track and As You Do. someone showed up with a rake and started making it better. that's all it takes sometimes 💚

🏞️ LYNMORE LINK CONNECTOR
tree cleared from above the Dual Slalom Track – trail open all the way. sorted!

🚨 A COUPLE OF HEADS UPS
Corridor Top Jumps – Temporary Closure 🚧 there's some resurfacing happening on the Corridor Top Jumps right now. it will be open again ASAP – please respect the closure on this one. it's a high speed track and workers can be unsighted in the troughs of the jumps and berms. this is a genuine safety thing. closure tape means closure. Do not pull it down. 🙏

Horses on The Wash 🐴 a report came in of horses on The Wash. The Wash is a mountain bike trail. horses are not supposed to be on mountain bike trails – both for the safety of the horse and the safety of riders. if horse riding in the network, please stick to the designated walking and horse tracks. the signs are there to help. follow them 💚

💚 THE BOTTOM LINE
the forest is in brilliant condition heading into the back end of winter. Te Rua is open and incredible. Maiden Voyage is getting a glow up from two amazing community groups working together. the adopters are out there week after week doing invisible, essential, wonderful work.

and if any trail in this network has ever given a good day, a good lap, a good feeling at the bottom of a descent – please consider giving something back.

👉 www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz – donate, set up a monthly contribution, or check out the crowd funding and vote for the next rebuild with your dollars.

good to be back. good to be in the forest. good to be part of this community 🤙

aroha nui, – the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲

Big effort required to help replace the tracks affected by the logging over the last couple of summers.

If you’re keen on gravity riding, here’s your chance to lend a hand!

Rotorua Mountain Bike Club
Rotorua Trails Trust

DESCEND ROTORUA - TANIWHA DIG DAY #2! 🪏

Our first working bee was an absolute success and we are back for Round 2! The more hands on deck, the sooner we can get the track officially open. Logan has made more epic progress in the machine but we need humans to connect these pieces together.

- Meet at Tawa at 8.30am for briefing. Shuttles will take everyone to trail.
- BYO High Vis (some will be available if you don’t have any)
- BYO Gloves & Tools

Shuttles will be running to get everyone back down to carpark. We will supply pizza for lunch too 🍕🍕

Spread the word, tag your mates and share this post! The most epic community build DH track ever 🙌🏼

Morning folks, a couple of forestry operations happening this week around the forest.

Firstly, Kaingaroa Tipu are performing some land prep operations around the Ball and Chain and the Puarenga track, there will be some temporary trail closures whilst this work is in progress.

Secondly, thinning operations around the Te Pūtake o Tawa carpark are commencing Monday 17th August. Operations will take place from 7:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.

Businesses operating out of Te Pūtake o Tawa will be open as always.

Some roads and mountain bike trails may be closed at times during the thinning programme. Please use caution when nearby operational areas and obey all signage, instruction, and restrictions – they are there for your safety.

The following tracks/ roads will be affected by this operation:

• Mountain bike tracks – Forest Loop (detour in place), Te Pou Koropū, Eagle vs. Shark

• Roads – Windy Road, Tarawera Road

Please respect all signage and closures they are there for your safety and consider using other parts of the forest. There’s plenty to choose from!

Congratulation to the Rotorua Trails Trust!
They do a outstanding job keeping the track network in the forest worldclass.
Thanks, we appreciate everything you do.

Well, this is pretty special 💚🌲

The Rotorua Trails Trust has been named a finalist in the 35th Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards, in the Rotorua Lakes Council Outstanding Contribution to Rotorua category.

And of all the categories, this one means a lot.

We spend a lot of time talking about trails. Building them, maintaining them, repairing them, advocating for them and figuring out how we’re going to fund them.

But the impact of Rotorua’s trail network reaches a long way beyond the forest.

A RotoruaNZ study into the contribution of mountain biking found that visitors who mountain biked while in Rotorua contributed an estimated $139.8 million in local spending in 2021. Of that, $103.4 million came from people whose primary reason for visiting Rotorua was to ride.

Those visitors stayed longer too, an average of 4.1 nights, compared with 2.6 nights across Rotorua visitors overall, with their spending estimated to support more than 1,150 jobs.

Those are big numbers. But the contribution of our trails to Rotorua isn’t only measured in dollars.

They’re where locals ride, run and walk. They’re where kids learn to ride bikes. They bring events, athletes and visitors from around the world to our city. They support businesses, create jobs and give people another reason to call Rotorua home.

And they’ve become part of Rotorua’s identity.

The Rotorua Trails Trust is only one part of that story. Our work is possible because of the volunteers who show up, businesses and funders who back us, trail builders and contractors who do the mahi, our partners who work alongside us, and the community that continues to value and support these trails.

So to be recognised for our contribution to Rotorua feels particularly special.

We’re proud to be finalists alongside Kōtihi Reo Consultants and the Rotorua Sustainable Charter, two organisations making their own significant contribution to our city.

The Trust might be the name on the finalist list, but this recognition belongs to a much bigger community.

Pretty bloody proud of this one. 💚

📸 Rachel Hadfield

For those riders venturing into the forest check out some words of wisdom from the good folk at the Trails Trust.

❄️ Frost Alert! 🥶

This winter is delivering multiple days of frosty conditions, and it's having a significant impact on our trail network—especially on more exposed, open sections of trail. Some areas are staying frozen well into the late afternoon.

Please choose your route carefully and, where possible, avoid exposed sections. Trails under mature tree cover are currently offering the best riding conditions.

Remember that frosty trails can be slippery and unpredictable, so ride to the conditions, take extra care, and help keep both yourself and the trails in good shape.

Please be aware that conditions can vary significantly across the network. A trail that starts dry may still have frosty or icy sections further along, so stay alert and adjust your riding accordingly.

Thanks for doing your part, and enjoy the ride! 🚵

As always a heap of work being done in the forest by the Trust. Couple of track openings and rebuilds going on.

📅 WHAKA WEEKLY – 30 JULY 2026

Kia ora whānau!!

(quick note: the main character who writes the whaka weekly is away exploring NZ and the intern is doing their best at filling their tiny boots 🫡 normal service resumes soon)

short one this week because a) im not very good a FB cos im old, and b) the trails are doing the talking and we just want to get you out there 🌲

🎉 TE RUA (lower section) IS Re-Opening – Saturday Morning!!

Te Rua (lower section) is BACK. full trail refresh, rebuilt to spec, and riding better than ever. everything that made it great before, just a little bit betterer.

now. a word, because we care about you.....

do NOT send it on the first lap.

seriously. take it easy. ride it through once to learn the shape, feel the features, understand the flow. every trail has its own personality and just cos you rode the old one, doesnt mean you can ride this one full speed blind. while all the features have been built to Recreation Aotearoa specifications and the RTT has ensure the trail grade is dialled in – riding safely and having the skill set to match the trail? that part is on you.

and if you do run out of talent – 0800 WHAKA1 is the number. funded by the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club. just like the trails, if you use it, donate to it. boom 🤙

💚 TRAIL CROWD FUNDING UPDATE

the crowd funding is going absolutely wild and you would not believe which trail is currently in the lead to get rebuilt first. genuinely surprising stuff.

head to www.rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz to check the leaderboard, add your vote, and be part of deciding what gets built next. the trails that get funded are the trails that get built. simple as that.

keep it coming. this is working 🌲

aroha nui, – the crew at rotorua trails trust 🌲 (and the old man intern, who is doing their very best)

Oh shoot I almost forget! The working bee is going ahead this weekend if the weather is good and my bones dont ache too much getting out of bed.....if you see a post above or below this one with the work bee details, its on.....if you dont....its not.....

Great work with some good advice from the Rotorua Trails Trust