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4,531 ft
Distance
33 ft
Climb
-166 ft
Descent
00:05:28
Avg time
-135 ft
Altitude change
1,229 ft
Altitude min
1,376 ft
Altitude max
1,376 ft
Altitude start
1,240 ft
Altitude end
-3%
Grade
-16.7%
Grade max
14.1%
Grade min
1,043 ft
Distance climb
2,808 ft
Distance down
682 ft
Distance flat
00:05:28
Avg time
Dragon's Tail Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- E-Bike
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Riding AreaWhakarewarewa Forest
Rotorua -
Difficulty Rating
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Voted DifficultyBlue (1 vote)
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Local Popularity75 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 85 in E-Biking
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeAM, XC
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DirectionDownhill OnlyPopular Direction Shown
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Physical RatingModerate
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Dogs AllowedYes
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eBike AllowedYes up to Class 1
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Ride in RainYes
Undulating and flowing, the hardpack surface is fast rolling. Able to be ridden slowly with no difficult features. Still lots of fun to ride fast and link up the turns at warp speed.
Turn right as you enter a clearing about half way down the trail, to roll through a great sequence of berms.
(If you were to take the left hand fork when you see the clearing and berms you would be on Te Ara Puna trail which climbs to a high point then drops through a tight bermed section to a clearing and a forest road that takes you to the Duck Pond on Larch Rd.)
After the berms on Dragon's Tail there is more fast and flowy singletrack before hitting some challenging little pinch climbs into tight switchbacks towards the end.
Like most trails, this will be one that really rewards riding it a lot - as you get to know it, it just gets faster and better. Take care at the exits on to Red Tank Rd. There are several options including a couple of steep chutes that take you (very quickly) onto Red Tank Rd.
source: Ride Rotorua
Access Info
This runs from Red Tank Rd with the entrance on the left hand side not far down from Bunny Jugs (and Be Rude Not To)
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 2 rides
- 18 miles average
6 Months
- 121 rides
- 17 miles avg distance
All
- 1,430 rides
- Last: Jun 28, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Dragon's Tail Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
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- Snow Packed
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- Snow Cover Partial
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- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
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Directions to dragon-s-tail trailhead
(-38.170850, 176.289719)
Photos
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Trail Lists
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Whakarewarewa Forest Rotorua
63 trails
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Nearby Trails
- Bunny Jugs 1 272 ft
- Be Rude Not To 509 ft
- Direct Road 646 ft
- Bunny Jugs 2 1,913 ft
- The Wash 2,690 ft
Whakarewarewa Forest
- By mbl77
PCBC & contributors - #18021 - 10,775 views
Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon's Tail
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Where is Dragon's Tail located?
Dragon's Tail is located in Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua, New Zealand. It is part of the Whakarewarewa Forest trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -38.17085, 176.28972.
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How hard is Dragon's Tail?
Dragon's Tail is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 3%.
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What is the elevation gain for Dragon's Tail?
Dragon's Tail has 33 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 166 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,229 ft to 1,376 ft.
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Is Dragon's Tail a point to point trail?
Yes, Dragon's Tail is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.
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