Vehicle access to the start of Wakamarina , one of Marlborough’s best trails, will soon be closed.
A couple of years ago a gate went up at the Kiwi Road/Onamalutu end of the ride because of logging in the area. Vehicle access was still available via a longer route up Bartletts Creek Road.
We’ve had word from Shane McKay at Bluemoon Lodge in Havelock that a gate is also going up on Bartletts Creek Road as logging is going to start in that area.
At the moment it sounds like both gates will be closed to all recreational vehicle traffic at all times. Hopefully this will change.
In the mean time Shane is going through the correct paperwork/courses to get permit access and will be able to shuttle mountain bikes from Canvastown. You can phone him on 03 574 22 12.
Of course you can still ride up the 600 vertical metres to the Wakamarina trailhead. Just keep in mind there is very little shade and this is a baking hot climb on warm sunny days.
Can you bike up the Kiwi road side, or is that completely closed for logging?
Yup you can bike, but there are no trees left so its pretty exposed
I’d question whether you can ride up there when it’s “closed”. The logging guys are using Bartletts and Kiwi Rds as one way access, they aren’t expecting to meet traffic coming the other way. Operators with permits will have RT’s to communicate with trucks in the area. BTW, Helibike Nelson has access permits already.