more stats
1.5 miles
Distance
88 ft
Climb
-644 ft
Descent
00:08:08
Avg time
-555 ft
Altitude change
400 ft
Altitude min
956 ft
Altitude max
956 ft
Altitude start
400 ft
Altitude end
-7.2%
Grade
-47.1%
Grade max
17.7%
Grade min
1,444 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
400 ft
Distance flat
00:08:08
Avg time

Ikigai Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
  • Riding Area
    Waimapihi Reserve
    Wellington
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (4 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 85 in E-Biking
    • 5 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #10621 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #2427 in E-Biking
    • #2047 in Winter Fat Biking
  • National Ranking
    #196 in Mountain Biking · New Zealand [+]
    • #26 in E-Biking
    • #2 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM, XC, DJ, Fat, CX
  • Direction
    Downhill Only
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Year Opened
    2020
  • Land Owner
    WCC

Brooklyn Trail Builders are pleased to announce that Ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) is now open and ridable top to bottom. Ikigai is a Japanese word and roughly translates to the ‘realisation of the life one expects and hopes for’. This sums up many of the values the volunteers who built the trail aspire to. The trail took 2 years and 7 months of volunteer time to build.

Please take care as Ikigai crosses three other trails when descending The crossings are signposted.

Please note there will be ongoing tweaking, general maintenance and native tree planting on Ikigai. If you happen to be out riding and see an orange cone on the trail, a flashing light or a fluro vest hanging in your ride line, please slow down as someone will be working close by!

Access Info

The entrance to Ikigai is on the fenceline, between Sawmill to the south and the beginning of the Rollercoaster to the north.

Disclaimer

Please note there will be ongoing maintenance and tree planting on Ikigai. If you happen to be out riding and see an orange cone on the trail, or a fluro vest hanging in your ride line, please slow down as someone will be close by!

Tags
Views

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 4 rides
  • 23.3 km average
6 Months
  • 165 rides
  • 21.4 km avg distance
All
  • 1,915 rides
  • Last: Nov 2, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Ikigai Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Oct 18, 2026 @ 6:29am (Pacific/Auckland)
Oct 17, 2026
 The trail maintainers have clears up the moguls next to the high line - great work :)
Oct 10, 2026 @ 8:21am (Pacific/Auckland)
Oct 9, 2026
Aug 29, 2026 @ 5:26am (Pacific/Auckland)
Aug 28, 2026
Jul 17, 2026 @ 12:20pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Jul 16, 2026
 Riding well despite the recent wet weather. A few mud puddles at the low areas. Thanks to the BTB crew for the drainage maintenance!
May 25, 2026 @ 6:22am (Pacific/Auckland)
May 24, 2026
 Still a bit wet in places from recent rain and the limited sun / wind to dry the trial out.
more »
Status:
on Oct 18, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.68 (28 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (17,454)
close
      Directions to ikigai trailhead (-41.302610, 174.749510)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      15 more »
      mtb
      78 |
      Feb 27, 2026 @ 3:32pm
      Feb 27, 2026
      mtb
      57 |
      Feb 27, 2026 @ 3:31pm
      Feb 27, 2026
      mtb
      64 |
      May 15, 2022 @ 8:57pm
      May 15, 2022
      mtb
      91 |
      May 15, 2022 @ 8:57pm
      May 15, 2022
      Views 2Boardwalk 2Trail Sign 1

      Videos

      16 more »
      youtuber FAST FLOW - Ikigai (Spuds) Mountain Bike Trail...
      mtb
      6:10 | 1785 | Aug 8, 2020 , Wellington
      youtuber Ikigai Part 1 @ Polhil Reserve 4K
      mtb
      0:28 | 800 | Nov 11, 2018 , Wellington
      youtuber Ikigai @ Polhil Reserve
      mtb
      6:44 | 717 | Jun 2, 2020 , Wellington
      IKIGAI AT NIGHT - Grade 3 (Intermediate),...
      mtb
      6:29 | 323 | Jun 10, 2024 , Wellington

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      Routes with this trail

      29
      Polhill Run
      ★ 5.0 • 5 miles • 638 ft • 4 •
      New meta (Start from Newtown as well).
      120
      2024 Wellington Urban Classic
      22 miles • 4,097 ft • 19 • Point to Point •
      The Wellington Urban Classic is a social group ride that showcases some of the awesome trails across...
      120
      2024 Wellington Urban Classic
      22 miles • 4,097 ft • 19 • Point to Point •
      The Wellington Urban Classic is a social group ride that showcases some of the awesome trails across...
      4.8 ★★★★★
      28 Ratings
      5 ★ 86%
      4 ★ 11%
      3 ★ 4%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      12 Reviews & Comments

      tomlrmVoQ
      Great trail , hats off to trail builders
      longliveenduro longliveenduro
      Awesome trail. Would get 6 stars, if the builders would have left one or two roots. Still amazing.

      Very rough to find tech flow in Wellington. Either you get perfect surface or you directly jump into single or double black gnar.

      Reference for a perfect tech flow trail is Te Tihi o Tawa in Rotorua.
      tomlrmVoQ
      Great trail, some fantastic banked corners

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      Nearby Trails

      Waimapihi Reserve

      • By gristlybits BTB & contributors
      • #127647 - 14,551 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Ikigai located?
      Ikigai is located in Waimapihi Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand. It is part of the Waimapihi Reserve trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -41.30261, 174.74951.
      ▼ How hard is Ikigai?
      Ikigai is rated as Blue difficulty. The average grade is 7.2%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Ikigai?
      Ikigai has 88 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 644 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 400 ft to 956 ft.
      ▼ Is Ikigai a point to point trail?
      Yes, Ikigai is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Ikigai?
      Ikigai is 1.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Ikigai?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Ikigai. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Ikigai?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Ikigai are:
      • April (102 activities)
      • May (85 activities)
      • January (83 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Ikigai? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Ikigai are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Ikigai?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 8 minutes to ride Ikigai. The trail is 1.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Ikigai?
      Ikigai is a very popular trail. There have been 16,121 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 17,454 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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