These secrets spots will take your Old Ghost Road adventure to the next level.

Keep an eye out for the 'Grey Ghost'

The South Island kōkako – often dubbed the Grey Ghost – is an ancient bird once widespread in southern Aotearoa New Zealand forests. It was listed as extinct until 2013, when its status was reclassified as 'data deficient' by the Department of Conservation, providing renewed hope and energy for this feathered taonga. 

If South Island kōkako still exist, there will be very few left and they need to be found and urgently protected. There have been possible encounters reported on The Old Ghost Road – if you see or hear something you think might be the kōkako, please log it here. The South Island Kōkako Charitable Trust’s interactive map shows the locations of reported possible encounters.

Trapping along the Great Ride has helped local bird populations survive and in some cases thrive – download this beautiful poster to see what you may spot along the way.

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Pause for thought at Union Point

In the middle reaches of The Old Ghost Road between ‘The Boneyard’ and ‘Solemn Saddle’ is the poignant ‘Union Point’. It marks the precise spot at which trail construction crews – working toward each other – met late in the morning on the 28th of October 2015, bringing eight years of blood, sweat and tears to an end. Consider the country you have journeyed through to get here, and that which lies ahead of you, then reflect on how hard-won every metre was!   

Get the fascinating backstory to this epic track-build by reading Spirit to the Stone, written by one of The Old Ghost Road’s founding fathers Marion ‘Weasel’ Boatwright. It's available via the trail website, with all proceeds going to trail maintenance.

Directions: Union Point is just before the 48km marker post; a rock cairn and plaque are situated on the outside edge of the trail and should be obvious to those looking for it.

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A hidden world beneath your feet (or wheels)

Hidden below the Mokihinui River South Branch lies an extensive and largely undiscovered cave network through which huge volumes of water make their way to eventually emerge as springs. According to hydrologists, the biggest of these springs – the aptly named Resurgence – could be the largest spring (by discharge) in the Southern Hemisphere.

In late 2017 and early 2018, intrepid Australian and New Zealand cave divers entered the Resurgence and ventured almost 400m ‘upstream’ (south) through this water-filled cave network, reaching a maximum depth of approximately 30 metres beneath ground level. Only a lack of air and time prevented them from going further.

Directions: The Old Ghost Road passes around the Resurgence between the 62km and 63km marker posts – its large exit pool is right beside the trail.

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Download the Great Rides App

This awesome (and free) app will help you locate this Great Ride's hidden secrets, and track your adventure using GPS (no mobile signal required). It also has maps, trail descriptions and info on trail services. 

Download the app from:

 

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Find out more about The Old Ghost Road here.