Great Taste Trail

A flexible, mostly looped Great Ride linking coast, countryside and small towns in the Tasman District near Nelson.

Time to Ride: Most riders take 3-5 days, but it also works as a long weekend sampler by picking a few linked sections.

Best Time to Go: Rideable year-round in settled weather, with the best window typically Apr-Oct. After major rain, check for any closures or detours on riverside sections.

Getting there: The loop sits close to Nelson and starts easily from the city (including Nelson Airport) or from Richmond. Most people ride it as a loop, in either direction.

Costs: Costs depend on whether you use the Māpua cycle ferry and whether you hire bikes in Nelson. Accommodation and food are readily available in the coastal towns.

Difficulty: Moderate - generally non-technical riding with a mix of sealed paths, gravel sections and gentle gradients, plus one long tunnel section that rewards good lights.

The Great Taste Trail is one of the Great Rides in the New Zealand Cycle Trail network, looping through the heart of the Tasman District on the top of the South Island and clocking in at around 200 km. It links the coast at Richmond with inland farming valleys via Wakefield, Kohatu and Tapawera, then swings back to the sea at Riwaka before tracing the shoreline past Motueka, Lower Moutere, Māpua and Rabbit Island on its return.

A big part of its character comes from the region’s historic rail corridor. Sections follow the former isolated government railway between Nelson and Glenhope, which operated from 1876 to 1955, and today provide some of the trail’s easiest gradients and most distinctive riding.

The signature engineering feature is Spooners Tunnel, opened in 1893 and now a 1,352 m ride-through that is claimed to be the longest cycle tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere. Other memorable stops include the Waimea Inlet crossing, the Māpua ferry hop to Moturoa / Rabbit Island, and the Lord Rutherford Memorial in Brightwater.

• Stage 1: Nelson to Richmond (via Stoke and Hope) - Use the trailheads in Nelson (including the Maitai River path and Tāhunanui) to reach the loop. This section uses parts of the old railway corridor and makes an easy warm-up day.
• Stage 2: Richmond to Wakefield to Kohatu - Roll inland through small towns and rural scenery on a mix of paths and quiet connectors as you leave the coast behind.
• Stage 3: Kohatu to Tapawera (via Spooners Tunnel) - A classic rail-trail day through the Spooners Range, with the long, dark Spooners Tunnel as the headline - pack reliable lights.
• Stage 4: Tapawera to the Baton Valley area (including Lublow’s Leap) - A more remote-feeling section with river crossings and a well-known rest stop at Lublow’s Leap by the Baton River suspension bridge.
• Stage 5: Inland return to Riwaka - Continue back toward the coast, rejoining busier village edges as you approach Riwaka.
• Stage 6: Riwaka to Motueka to Lower Moutere - Coastal riding with frequent services, food stops and easy detours, setting up for the estuary and ferry sections.
• Stage 7: Tasman view lookout to Māpua and the Māpua ferry to Rabbit Island - One of the trail’s most distinctive sequences: estuary views, then the small ferry crossing to the sand-island reserve.
• Stage 8: Rabbit Island across the Waimea Inlet back to Richmond (and optional Nelson spur) - Fast, flat riding beside the estuary, finishing where the loop began; add the signed spur back into Nelson if you started in town.

The most reliable riding window is typically Apr-Oct, when temperatures are cooler and the trail is popular without being at peak summer beach levels. Coastal sections can be pleasant for shorter days even outside this window if conditions are settled.

After heavy rain, watch for river-related issues: during severe flooding in June-July 2025, around 30 km of the trail was damaged and closures were required before sections re-opened and repairs progressed. Even after full restoration, it is worth checking current trail status when significant storms are forecast.

The easiest gateway is Nelson, with trail commencement points on the Maitai River path in central Nelson, on Beach Road in Tāhunanui, and at Nelson Airport. You can also join the main loop directly at Richmond on the coast.

Because the route is mostly a loop, many riders start wherever accommodation and transport suit and ride in either direction. There is also a spur from Nelson connecting to the loop, and an extension from Riwaka to Kaiteriteri if you want extra distance beyond the core loop.

Confirm any permit or access requirements with the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust or Tasman District Council before you ride. Surfaces vary by section, so a hybrid or touring bike with tyres suited to gravel is a safe choice.

Bike hire is available in the Nelson area, and the route includes the Māpua cycleway ferry (the Flat Bottom Fairy) between Māpua and Rabbit Island, which has bike racks and carries passengers across the channel. If you plan to ride Spooners Tunnel, bring front and rear lights for visibility.

The easiest overnights line up with the larger settlements on the loop such as Nelson, Richmond, Motueka and around Māpua, where you can usually find a range of lodging styles from motels and guesthouses to bike-friendly accommodation. Inland, places like Wakefield and Tapawera can be useful staging points depending on your daily distance.

If you are travelling in a busy holiday period, book ahead in the coastal towns, especially if you want to stay near the water or close to popular dining areas. Inland options can be more limited, so it pays to plan your day’s endpoint before you roll out.