6 miles
Distance
1,273 ft
Climb
-755 ft
Descent
00:51:30
Avg time

Orakau Details

  • Riding Area
    Great Lake Trail
    Taupo
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue rate
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Trail Usage
    Multi-use
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular in reverse
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Global Ranking
    #1847 in Mountain Biking
  • Local Popularity
    40 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking

From the Whangamata Road carpark, the trail follows the Orakau Stream and Harakeke (flax) wetland through regenerating native bush down to Kawakawa Bay on the edge of Lake Taupō. The trail is generally downhill and offers views across the lake to the volcanoes of Tongariro National Park.

This trail makes up part of the Great Lake Cycle Trail (along with the K2K and W2K trails).

Local Trail Association
More Stats for Orakau bike trail
  • Altitude change
    518 ft
  • Altitude min
    1,181 ft
  • Altitude max
    1,699 ft
  • Altitude start
    1,181 ft
  • Altitude end
    1,699 ft
  • Grade
    1.691%
  • Grade max
    -36.263%
  • Grade min
    40.937%
  • Distance climb
    3 miles
  • Distance down
    2 miles
  • Distance flat
    1 miles
  • Avg time
    00:51:30
  • Avg reverse time
    00:45:16
  • view trail stats
Status:
on Dec 27, 2018
Dry
Avg: 5 (2 votes)

view (158)
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  • Layers  w
  • Basemap 
  • Trail Style 
    • ?
  • Activity Type  
Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Ridden Direction

Trailforks scans users ridelogs to determine the most popular direction each trail is ridden. A good flowing trail network will have most trails flowing in a single direction according to their intension.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.

  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
Trail Ridden Direction

The intendid direction a trail should be ridden.

  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction

LEGEND
Trail Difficulties
  • Access Road/Trail
  • White
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Black
  • Double Black Diamond

Trail Report Status
  • Clear / Green
  • Minor Issue / Yellow
  • Significant Issue / Amber
  • Closed or Major Issue / Red

  • Land Owner Overlay
  • Wilderness (typically no bikes in USA)
  • BLM (public)
  • USFS (Wildlife sanctuaries darker than usfs)
  • State land
  • Indigenous
  • Military
Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
  • Map Markers
  • trail Trail Head
  • photo Photo
  • place Directory Listing
  • region Riding Area
  • TTF TTF
  • Parking Parking
  • Viewpoint Viewpoint
  • Information Information
  • Warning Warning
  • Directions Directions
  • Water Fountain/Source Water Fountain/Source
  • Sight Sight
  • Restrooms Restrooms
  • Gate Gate
  • Camping Camping
  • Trail Sign Trail Sign
  • Table or Bench Table or Bench
  • Other Other
      Directions to orakau trailhead (-38.665390, 175.869832)
      update trails status or condition

      Orakau Trail Reports

      datedescription
      Dec 27, 2018 @ 11:43am
      Dec 27, 2018
      Nov 26, 2018 @ 11:42am
      Nov 26, 2018
      		 Nice and dry after all the wet weather
      Oct 20, 2018 @ 8:17pm
      Oct 20, 2018
      		 Good fun ride , shady on sunny / sheltered on windy days
      Jul 16, 2018 @ 5:26pm
      Jul 16, 2018
      		 A little overgrown in places but still easy access. Trail damp with only a couple of muddy puddles. Some slippery patches of wet leaves but...
      Feb 16, 2018 @ 12:36am
      Feb 16, 2018
      		 Not as bad as I thought it would be after all the rain 2 - 3 days beforehand. Some slippery bits where the sun hasn’t managed to get through but...
      view all reports »

      Recent Ridelog Activity on Trail

      Past Week
      • 3 rides
      • 14 miles avg distance
      6 Months
      • 46 rides
      • 20 miles avg distance
      All
      • 195 rides
      •  

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      Photos

      more »
      24 |
      Feb 16, 2018 @ 12:38am
      Feb 16, 2018
      Orakau, My City
      14 |
      Feb 18, 2017 @ 12:34am
      Feb 18, 2017
      Orakau, Wellington
      26 |
      Feb 18, 2017 @ 12:33am
      Feb 18, 2017
      Orakau, Wellington

      1 Review & Comments

      • + 1
      flag kanefleury MBO (Jul 13, 2017 at 16:27)
       What a great winter track! Quick dry and grippy pumice soil is the best! Rode from down the track from Whangamata Road to Kawa Kawa Bay through the awesome native bush. There were plenty of birds around to keep me company and there were some awesome views! A must do if you are hanging about in Taupo.
      [Reply]

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      youtuber Great Lake Trail, Taupo: Orakau to Kawakawa...
      18:54 | 68 | Jul 19, 2018 , Taupo

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