Queenstown

Cycling Queenstown

Cycling has exploded in Queenstown over the past 20 years, and is now one of the main reasons why people choose to live here and to visit. It is estimated that the Bike market will make up up to 50% of the value of the ski market for the resort by 2026.

Queenstown offers mtb, gravel and road cycling to suit riders of all abilities - from a gentle meander through the vineyards of Gibbston Valley to the adrenaline rush of a world-cup level downhill track from the Skyline Gondola.

Situated in the heart of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, numerous alpine passes provide the ultimate arena for keen amateurs and professionals to test themselves on some of the most scenic roads in the world.

The Queenstown Trail is a grade 2 gravel trail, offering 130km of trails amongst the local settlements between Queenstown, Arrowtown and Gibbston, through spectacular gorges, over suspension bridges and even through an historic 108m long mining tunnel on a new section of trail to open in 2024.

There is also a thriving road scene, with regular bunch group rides throughout the summer and races at the weekend throughout Central Otago. Epic climbs include the Crown Range, Coronet Peak and the Remarkables ski field roads, and the Glenorchy Road rates as one of the most scenic rides in NZ. Gravel riding is also becoming popular as the roads become busier, offering some excellent forays into the backcountry on historic roads such as Skippers Canyon and the Macetown Road.

Gravel in Queenstown

The 130km Queenstown Trail (one of 23 New Zealand Cycle Trails) was opened in 2012, and forms the backbone of the trail network in the Whakatipu Basin, connecting communities to the wider backcountry trail network. The Queenstown Trails Trust has also partnered with numerous high country station owners to develop access into the backcountry on epic multi-day trails, with the latest edition of the Coronet Loop Trail being a huge drawcard for the region, as well as the world famous flow trails on the faces of Coronet Peak including Rude Rock and Hot Rod.

Work is also underway to connect the Queenstown Trail into Central Otago, with a new trail under construction in the Kawarau Gorge linking Gibbston to Bannockburn and ultimately all the way to Dunedin via the Lake Dunstan Trail, Otago Central Rail Trail, Roxburgh Gorge Trail and Clutha Gold Trail.

In addition to the Trails, Glenorchy has some spectacular gravel roads leading to the trailheads of the famous great walks including the Routeburn, Greenstone-Caples and Rees-Dart. The historic Skippers Canyon and Macetown roads provide more great opportunities for gravel missions and allow an insight into the gold mining history of the area from the late 1800’s when the Shotover and Arrow rivers reached the peak of the Goldrush, with many relics of that era still evident today.

The Queenstown Mountain Bike club has a huge following and a very active volunteer base who organise trail digs each week to expand the technical trail networks at Seven Mile, Fernhill Bike Park and the world famous Gorge Road Jump Park.

Skyline Gondola saw the opportunity to provide bike uplift on Ben Lomond, and in conjunction with QMTBC developed the Skyline Bike Park, an incredible network of bike specific downhill trails close to town. Coronet Peak and Cardrona Ski areas have also capitalised on this growth, offering newly developed trail networks and using the ski lifts for access to the high alpine areas, enabling exhilarating long descents to the valley floor. Heli-biking is also popular on some of the satellite peaks around Queenstown.

Spots to ride