more stats
1.9 miles
Distance
193 ft
Climb
-109 ft
Descent
00:13:30
Avg time
84 ft
Altitude change
1,203 ft
Altitude min
1,324 ft
Altitude max
1,212 ft
Altitude start
1,296 ft
Altitude end
0.8%
Grade
-14.6%
Grade max
27.5%
Grade min
4,442 ft
Distance climb
4,003 ft
Distance down
1,686 ft
Distance flat
00:13:30
Avg time

River Side Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Huka Trails
    Taupo
  • Ref Number
    #1
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    65 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 80 in E-Biking
    • 65 in Trail Running
    • 75 in Hiking
    • 5 in Adaptive Biking
    • 85 in Gravel Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #107444 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #24343 in E-Biking
    • #130633 in Trail Running
    • #140339 in Hiking
    • #1755 in Adaptive Biking
    • #2533 in Gravel Biking
  • National Ranking
    #2,437 in Mountain Biking · New Zealand [+]
    • #530 in E-Biking
    • #2,120 in Trail Running
    • #1,949 in Hiking
    • #66 in Adaptive Biking
    • #119 in Gravel Biking
  • Trail Type
    Doubletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC, Adaptive MTB, Gravel
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes

Two way path along the river between Control Gates Bridge and Spa Park. From the Control Gates it is a bit of a grunt up to the area behind Taupo Bungee. Park Map no 1.

Tags
BridgesRiver or creek

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 23 rides
  • 20 miles avg distance
All
  • 243 rides
  • Last: Nov 2, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on Oct 22, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.57 (6 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (2,173)
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      Directions to river-side trailhead (-38.681330, 176.070060)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      No photos have been added for River Side yet, add a photo.

      Videos

      1 more »
      Riverside dirt jump jam
      mtb
      2:33 | 1269 | Jun 4, 2014 , Taupo

      Routes with this trail

      Huka Challenge 2018 Archived
      45 miles • 5,707 ft • 32 • Loop • Race •
      Route for the 2018 Huka Challenge.
      Huka Teaser 2018 Archived
      ★ 4.0 • 18 miles • 1,529 ft • 8 • Loop • Race •
      Course for 2018 Huka Teaser. Part of great lake Cycle Challenge.
      Huka Challenge Steamer 2018 Archived
      ★ 4.0 • 35 miles • 4,002 ft • 19 • Loop • Race •
      Part of the 2018 Huka Challenge.
      3.2 ★★★★★
      6 Ratings
      5 ★ 17%
      4 ★ 17%
      3 ★ 50%
      2 ★
      1 ★ 17%

      2 Reviews & Comments

      Tully01
      Realized this section about 3km-I had added the 2kms from home when stating it was about 5kms
      Tully01
      An excellent Grade 2 trail from the Control gate to Spa Park with a series of easily rideable switchbacks climbing to the Taupo Bungee. Around 5kms and a must do

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      Nearby Trails

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is River Side located?
      River Side is located in Huka Trails, Taupo, New Zealand. It is part of the Huka Trails trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -38.68133, 176.07006.
      ▼ How hard is River Side?
      River Side is rated as Blue difficulty. The average grade is 0.8%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for River Side?
      River Side has 193 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 109 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,203 ft to 1,324 ft.
      ▼ How long is River Side?
      River Side is 1.9 miles long. The trail type is doubletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on River Side?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on River Side. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride River Side?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride River Side are:
      • April (20 activities)
      • December (17 activities)
      • January (14 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access River Side? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to River Side are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride River Side?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 14 minutes to ride River Side. The trail is 1.9 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is River Side?
      River Side is a moderately popular trail. There have been 2,316 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,173 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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