Adventure #231

HOPKINS VALLEY TRACK (Above: Image by Shellie Evans)
21-35 km return via same track. Ruataniwha
Conservation Park, near Lake Ōhau.
This is an advanced tramping and mountainbike track with a
range of terrain: grasslands, shingle, beech forest and river
banks. There are six huts dotted along the valley. Following
SH8 south from Twizel turn onto Lake Ōhau Road. The
Hopkins Valley is at the end of the road, a total of 60km
from Twizel. Park at the Ram Hill carpark, or continue on to
Monument Hut if you have a 4WD vehicle.
RICHMOND TRAIL (Above: Image by Hollie Woodhouse)
13km one way. Near Lake Tekapo.
0800 22 44 75 | cyclejourneys.co.nz | 3 Benmore Place, Twizel
Over by Lake Tekapo is the Richmond Trail with sweeping
views of Lake Tekapo, the Godley Valley and surrounding
mountains. The trail is part of the Te Araroa trail – you can
walk or bike it (grade 4) and it offers unbeatable views.
The trail follows an old glacial terrace through tussocks
and patches of native vegetation. While the track is
graded easy, there are a few steep climbs (or descents,
depending on which way you walk it) above Boundary
Stream on the way back to Lilybank Road. This trail starts
and finishes in different places – half-way up the Roundhill
access road, or just past the Boundary Creek bridge.