Take a break at this beautiful picnic spot

Snow’s Picnic Spot is one of the most picturesque and tranquil spots along this Great Ride and the perfect place to stop for a rest. Relax at a picnic table in the shade beside the Utakura River and enjoy a freshly baked scone or refreshing fruit smoothie from the Country Food Kiosk.

Directions: Located at Snow’s Farm, approximately halfway between Ōkaihau and Horeke. It's right on the trail, so you can't miss it! 

Snow's Farm – a riverside picnicking idyll (Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail).

Ride high over historic suspension bridges

Between Kawakawa and Kaikohe you will find not one but two historic suspension bridges! What's interesting about these bridges is they have been built inside existing truss bridge structures.

A truss bridge is one where the load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both, in response to dynamic loads. They look great too and make fantastic photo-ops!

Directions: Located at Tuhipa 8km west of Moerewa.

Riding across one of the trail's unique hybrid suspension/truss bridges (Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail).
 

Balance on a boardwalk

At 1.2km in length and 2.2m wide, Horeke Boardwalk is the longest boardwalk on any of the 23 Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand. The boardwalk traverses a unique coastal wetland that gets completely covered during a king tide. Discover the country's only species of mangrove (manawa) – Avicennia marina subspecies australasica.

Māori traditionally gathered food from among the mangrove forests. This included mullet (kanae), oyster (parore tio), sea snail (karahu) and eel (tuna).

They also had many uses for the plant itself. The black earth formed by rotted mangrove leaves was used to dye flax, which were used for making kites and piupiu skirts, and a green dye was made from the lichen on mangrove trees. Branches were sometimes fashioned into fern root pounders and mangrove leaves were sometimes used to keep fish cool on fishing trips.

Directions: 1.2km east of Horeke; you will ride this boardwalk into the township. 

The record-breaking Horeke Boardwalk – the longest on any of New Zealand's Great Rides (Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail).

Bathe in the healing waters of Ngawha Springs

Throughout the centuries, visitors have travelled, from near and far, to soak in these therapeutic thermal waters. Each of the 16 geothermal pools has its own unique characteristics and healing properties with differing temperatures, colours and minerals.

Directions: 303 Ngawha Springs Road, 7km from Kaikohe (the pools are not directly on the trail).

Have a healing and tranquil soak at Ngawha Springs.

Cruise to Kohukohu

Catch a ride (with your bike!) on the Rānui passenger ferry across the Hokianga Harbour from Horeke to Kohukohu.

Originally named El Alamein, the Rānui was purpose built (by Mac McGeady of Supreme Craft) for ferrying returned World War II servicemen to the Rotorua Convalescent Hospital from Lake Rotorua to Lake Rotoiti. The Hokianga has been her home since 2018.

Kohukohu has a fascinating history dating back to the early 1800s. It was once the heart of New Zealand's timber industry. Today this quaint seaside village is home to cute cafes, boutique shops, and art galleries and studios.

Directions: The Rānui departs from the wharf at Mangungu Mission, Horeke.

The historic Rānui plying the waters of Hokianga Harbour (Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail).

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:

 

Find out more about the Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail here.