more stats
2.1 miles
Distance
692 ft
Climb
-126 ft
Descent
00:16:22
Avg time
567 ft
Altitude change
234 ft
Altitude min
801 ft
Altitude max
234 ft
Altitude start
801 ft
Altitude end
5.2%
Grade
-27.5%
Grade max
38.5%
Grade min
1 mile
Distance climb
2,031 ft
Distance down
1,358 ft
Distance flat
00:16:22
Avg time

Transient Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Waimapihi Reserve
    Wellington
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in Trail Running
    • 70 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #26841 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #65352 in Trail Running
    • #118576 in Hiking
  • National Ranking
    #577 in Mountain Biking · New Zealand [+]
    • #1,344 in Trail Running
    • #1,674 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Uphill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Year Opened
    2009
  • Land Owner
    WCC

This two-way track was built to enhance bike access through Polhill Reserve along with Highbury Fling. This track greatly improves on the old, and very steep, Durham Street walking track that provides access to two radio antenna and joins up with the 4WD road off the end of Durham Street.

Please note that as of June 6th, 2020, Transient will be UPHILL BIKES and two way foot traffic only, south (uphill) of the Karepa St Connector, where the bench seat is. This is because Ikigai, the new grade three descending trail, is now open. All downhill direction bikes should use Ikigai. Transient north/downhill from the Karepa Street Connector will remain 2 way to both bike and foot traffic.

source: tracks.org
Access Info

Northern end - start at the small park on Aro Street.
Southern end - join from Highbury Fling, or enter the trail from Ashton Fitchett Drive

Tags

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 8 rides
  • 12 miles average
6 Months
  • 123 rides
  • 14 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,404 rides
  • Last: Oct 26, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
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December
Status:
on Oct 26, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.19 (25 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (18,471)
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      Directions to transient trailhead (-41.294200, 174.761440)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      10 more »
      mtb
      60 |
      Jan 25, 2023 @ 2:26am
      Jan 25, 2023
      mtb
      67 |
      Jan 25, 2023 @ 2:25am
      Jan 25, 2023
      mtb
      65 |
      Jan 25, 2023 @ 2:25am
      Jan 25, 2023
      mtb
      164 |
      Apr 30, 2019 @ 10:51pm
      Apr 30, 2019

      Videos

      1 more »
      Polhill Transient
      mtb
      8:58 | 932 | Dec 28, 2019 , Wellington

      Routes with this trail

      19
      New Polhill Loop
      ★ 3.5 • 4 miles • 606 ft • 4 • Loop •
      Great loop for a lunchtime ride. Easy access from Wellington CBD.
      33
      Polhill: Windmill & Back
      7 miles • 1,218 ft • 9 • Loop •
      A decent loop from Polhill to the Windmill and back. Good climb to start, nice ups and downs in the...
      135
      Polhill-Barking Emu Return
      ★ 2.0 • 13 miles • 2,910 ft • 15 • Out & Back •
      Great taste of technical singletrack from the middle of the city.
      4.3 ★★★★★
      25 Ratings
      5 ★ 52%
      4 ★ 28%
      3 ★ 16%
      2 ★
      1 ★ 4%

      9 Reviews & Comments

      tomlrmVoQ
      Good condition, pleasant ride through the bush
      dUtKfX
      Pretty standard Wellington climb, nice forest and pleasant enough I guess.
      It’s pretty busy with people walking though, and definitely not far off grade 2, especially compared to nearby climbs like windmill and over at Mākara.
      longliveenduro longliveenduro
      Awesome climb trail. Unbelievable fun on an EBike. Uphill flow!

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      Nearby Trails

      Waimapihi Reserve

      • By gristlybits BTB & contributors
      • #18144 - 16,097 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Transient located?
      Transient is located in Waimapihi Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand. It is part of the Waimapihi Reserve trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -41.2942, 174.76144.
      ▼ How hard is Transient?
      Transient is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 5.2%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Transient?
      Transient has 692 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 126 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 234 ft to 801 ft.
      ▼ Is Transient a point to point trail?
      Transient is not a point to point trail. The direction is Uphill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Transient?
      Transient is 2.1 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Transient?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Transient. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Transient?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Transient are:
      • April (82 activities)
      • October (68 activities)
      • February (62 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Transient? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Transient are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Transient?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 16 minutes to ride Transient. The trail is 2.1 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Transient?
      Transient is a very popular trail. There have been 13,589 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 18,471 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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