Mountain Biking in Whakatū Nelson
Nelson is a renowned destination for mountain biking, offering numerous challenging trails often through native forest and with spectacular views. This activity occurs on both Council reserve land and private land. In the Whakatū Nelson district this private land is owned by Ngāti Koata, while in the wider Tasman Bay area mountain biking occurs on Tasman District Council land, DOC land and private land.
Visit Trailforks to see maps of the network.
Visit the Track Closures page to see information on short and long term closures, and the Shape Nelson page relating to closures due to forestry harvesting.
Accessing trails on Ngāti Koata land
Following an interim agreement between Nelson City Council and Koata Ltd in late 2020, the public is able to get free recreational access to the Codgers and Fringed Hill area (Koata Park) via online registration.
To register visit https://join.hivepass.app/codgers. Proof of registration will be sent by email, and may need to be shown to security when accessing the land.
A separate agreement has been reached between the Nelson Mountain Bike Club (NMTBC) and Koata Ltd, allowing access to Sharlands. Members of the NMTBC will have registration for Codgers and Fringed Hill included as part of their membership, so do not need to register separately. Sharlands will have a focus on mountain biking and access will be granted solely via membership of the NMTBC.
Economic benefits of Mountain Biking for Nelson
Nelson has seen a steady increase in mountain biking participation from both residents and visitors, and Council has sought to undertake research in order to better understand the benefits the activity can bring to the community. This will help to guide future financial decisions on relevant maintenance and infrastructure projects.
Following an open tender process, Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL) was engaged to undertake this work in 2018.
Economic benefits of Mountain Biking for Nelson Feb 2018 (1.5MB PDF)
A revised report (399KB PDF) was completed in 2023, commissioned by the Nelson Regional Development Agency.