more stats
1,470 ft
Distance
17 ft
Climb
-146 ft
Descent
00:02:25
Avg time
-129 ft
Altitude change
715 ft
Altitude min
860 ft
Altitude max
843 ft
Altitude start
715 ft
Altitude end
-8.8%
Grade
-41.6%
Grade max
16.7%
Grade min
177 ft
Distance climb
1,132 ft
Distance down
161 ft
Distance flat
00:02:25
Avg time

491 Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (5 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    85 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 85 in E-Biking
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #32439 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #18021 in E-Biking
    • #215609 in Trail Running
    • #207000 in Hiking
  • National Ranking
    #732 in Mountain Biking · New Zealand [+]
    • #367 in E-Biking
    • #3,412 in Trail Running
    • #2,783 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM, XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    All year
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Drop, Jump, Rock Face
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes

491 is an alternative to Spoonhill. Both are technical DH trails but 491 can be ridden in the wet. 491 meets up with Spoonhill after about 500 meters. The trail has quite a few drop offs, is quite rooty in places and several of the drops are quite rutted (so can be railed easily).

When joined back with Spoonhill trail be sure to take the Nga Tuna turn off on the right otherwise you'll have to complete all of Spoon hill and then ride back to the Wiau carpark. It's not far though.

Access Info

Access to 491 is off the Spoonhill trail. Approximately 150 m in turn left and your on it. Spoon hill is accessed at the junction between Labyrinth and Towai Traverse. Or you can ride up the ENCZ 4x4 access road and take the turn off to the third pylon.

Tags
DropsJumpsRock slabsRooty

Local Trail Association

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 6 miles average
6 Months
  • 31 rides
  • 9 miles avg distance
All
  • 860 rides
  • Last: Nov 3, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

491 Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Sep 17, 2026 @ 2:15pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Sep 16, 2026
Minor erosion (trail braiding, small ruts developing, brake bumps), though this kind of is the appeal of the track
May 13, 2025 @ 1:50pm
May 13, 2025
Dec 28, 2024 @ 2:35pm
Dec 28, 2024
All good bro
Sep 21, 2024 @ 11:48am
Sep 21, 2024
Slippery on the clay
May 4, 2024 @ 8:37pm
May 4, 2024
Dry on the north facing sections, moist in other areas. Not the steepest G5 but masses of roots, and where there aren’t roots there’s rock and...
more »
Status:
on Sep 17, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.43 (17 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (5,706)
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      Directions to 491 trailhead (-41.240810, 174.928890)

      Photos

      9 more »
      mtb
      491
      254 |
      Jun 24, 2017 @ 6:18pm
      Jun 24, 2017
      mtb
      491
      226 |
      Jun 24, 2017 @ 6:18pm
      Jun 24, 2017
      mtb
      491
      231 |
      Jun 27, 2014 @ 2:33am
      Jun 27, 2014
      mtb
      491
      174 |
      Jun 23, 2017 @ 12:25am
      Jun 23, 2017

      Videos

      22 more »
      youtuber 491 @ Wainui Trail Park
      mtb
      0:46 | 664 | Jul 13, 2021 , Lower Hutt
      youtuber Foo Fighter @ Arapuke Forest
      mtb
      0:49 | 521 | Jul 6, 2021 , Lower Hutt
      youtuber Black Pantha @ Cougar MTB Park. Tokoroa
      mtb
      3:23 | 559 | Jun 22, 2021 , Lower Hutt
      youtuber Sweet Spot @ Lake Mangamahoe MTB Park
      mtb
      0:23 | 293 | Jun 15, 2021 , Lower Hutt

      Routes with this trail

      4 miles • 819 ft • 8 • Loop •
      A good size circuit from the carpark. Take the Wetland loop to Directa. Climb Directa to Jungle Gym, and...
      10 miles • 2,205 ft • 35 • Loop •
      How to punish yourself on a Sunday arvo
      4,846 ft • 9 ft • 6 • Point to Point •
      2019 NZ North Island Secondary School Champs - Enduro Stage 2 - Draft1
      4.6 ★★★★★
      17 Ratings
      5 ★ 71%
      4 ★ 18%
      3 ★ 12%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      1 Review & Comments


      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

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      • By nikholden & contributors
      • #17253 - 9,364 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is 491 located?
      491 is located in Wainuiomata Trail Park (WTP), Lower Hutt, New Zealand. It is part of the Wainuiomata Trail Park (WTP) trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -41.24081, 174.92889.
      ▼ How hard is 491?
      491 is rated as Advanced difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 8.8%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for 491?
      491 has 17 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 146 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 715 ft to 860 ft.
      ▼ Is 491 a point to point trail?
      491 is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is 491?
      491 is 1,470 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on 491?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on 491. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride 491?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride 491 are:
      • February (39 activities)
      • March (26 activities)
      • January (24 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access 491? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to 491 are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride 491?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 2 minutes to ride 491. The trail is 1,470 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is 491?
      491 is a very popular trail. There have been 5,912 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 5,706 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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