more stats
4,600 ft
Distance
-1,239 ft
Descent
00:10:37
Avg time
-1,238 ft
Altitude change
188 ft
Altitude min
1,426 ft
Altitude max
1,426 ft
Altitude start
187 ft
Altitude end
-26.9%
Grade
-70.2%
Grade max
0.2%
Grade min
4,442 ft
Distance down
00:10:37
Avg time

Kaka Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
  • Riding Area
    Waitarake/Sharlands
    Nelson
  • Difficulty Rating
    Double Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    20 in Mountain Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #129151 in Mountain Biking
  • National Ranking
    #2,935 in Mountain Biking · New Zealand
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Drop, Jump, Gap Jump, Rock Garden
  • Land Owner
    Tasman Pine

A downhill course with some great modern era history. First raced in 2000 as a bare hill post harvesting, this course is a completely different animal now that the new pine forest is more than half way through its rotation. This course has stories to tell of the old National Series, the new NZ MTB Cup, National Champs and an Oceania Champs where our Australian visitors were gob smacked and loved it. Loamy soil is now in abundance

Access Info

From Sharlands carpark head up Kaka Road Climb to the ridgeline then follow SW Kaka Ridge Road to the end.

This trail is maintained by the Nelson Mountain Bike Club. Please consider supporting the club.

Tags
DropsJumpsLoamyRidgelineRock gardens
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 0 rides
  •  
All
  • 4 rides
  • Last: Dec 29, 2025
update trails status or condition

Kaka Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jan 5, 2026 @ 1:50pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Jan 4, 2026
 reporter Closed due to a large number of trees down. Please avoid this area.
Nov 25, 2025 @ 2:59pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Nov 24, 2025
Tree down a couple of corners into the lower section below the road.
Oct 10, 2025 @ 6:47pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Oct 9, 2025
 reporter Open for recreational access
Jul 31, 2025 @ 11:17pm
Jul 31, 2025
 reporter
Jul 28, 2025 @ 2:17pm
Jul 28, 2025
 reporter TPFL Forests closed due to weather warning
more »
Status:
on Jan 5, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4.09 (4 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (315)
close
      Directions to kaka trailhead (-41.265900, 173.326060)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      24 more »
      mtb
      190 |
      Apr 5, 2021 @ 12:07am
      Apr 5, 2021
      mtb
      349 |
      Feb 3, 2020 @ 12:25am
      Feb 3, 2020
      mtb
      155 |
      May 7, 2019 @ 2:12am
      May 7, 2019
      mtb
      272 |
      Aug 4, 2017 @ 5:14am
      Aug 4, 2017
      Jumps 2

      Videos

      2 more »
      New Lines on Kaka
      mtb
      4:32 | 1550 | Apr 17, 2019 , Nelson
      Kaka Hill NZ Nationals 2016
      mtb
      3:45 | 971 | Feb 12, 2016 , Nelson
      4.3 ★★★★★
      4 Ratings
      5 ★ 50%
      4 ★ 25%
      3 ★ 25%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      Reviews / Comments

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      Nearby Trails

      Waitarake/Sharlands

      • By NMTBCTF Pro NMTBC & contributors
      • #91525 - 9,399 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Kaka located?
      Kaka is located in Waitarake/Sharlands, Nelson, New Zealand. It is part of the Waitarake/Sharlands trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -41.2659, 173.32606.
      ▼ How hard is Kaka?
      Kaka is rated as Double Black Diamond difficulty. The average grade is 26.9%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Kaka?
      The trail has 1,239 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 188 ft to 1,426 ft.
      ▼ How long is Kaka?
      Kaka is 4,600 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Kaka?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Kaka. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Kaka? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Kaka are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Kaka?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 11 minutes to ride Kaka. The trail is 4,600 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Kaka?
      Kaka is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 305 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 315 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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