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32.1 miles
Distance
5,524 ft
Climb
-6,531 ft
Descent
10:05:41
Avg time
-1,007 ft
Altitude change
31 ft
Altitude min
3,723 ft
Altitude max
1,038 ft
Altitude start
30 ft
Altitude end
-0.6%
Grade
-62.6%
Grade max
35.3%
Grade min
14 miles
Distance climb
16 miles
Distance down
2 miles
Distance flat
10:05:41
Avg time
Te Ara Paparoa Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Gravel Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
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Riding AreaPaparoa National Park
Reefton -
Difficulty Rating
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Voted DifficultyAdvanced (1 vote)
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Local Popularity50 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 50 in Trail Running
- 50 in Hiking
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Global Ranking
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Hiking SAC ScaleT2 Mountain Hiking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeAM, XC, CX, Gravel
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DirectionBoth DirectionsPopular Direction Shown
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Climb DifficultyBlack Diamond
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Physical RatingEasy
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Trail VisibilityAlways easy to follow
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eBike Allowed
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TTFs on TrailBridge
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Year Opened2020
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Land Owner
The Paparoa. The first great walk to also allow MTB.
Recommended riding direction is from Blackball through to Punakaiki. Trail climbs on an old pack trail to Ces Clark Hut (10KM) at the bush line. This section is a steady Grade 4 (Advanced) climb. From Ces Clark there is another 10km of rolling scenic alpine terrain to Moonlight Hut. All the hard work is done and you are rewarded with spectacular views and rock formations of the beautful Paparoa National Park.
This trail is rated Grade 4, however once you get past Ces Clark Hut heading north it is all about Grade 3 (Intermediate)
Trail is multi use, please respect other users on the trail.
Huts can be booked on the DoC website for overnight stays.
Access Info
End of Blackball Road - Smoke Ho Carpark, (Southern end)
Waikori Road Punakaiki (Northern end)
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 0 rides
6 Months
- 6 rides
- 45 miles avg distance
All
- 21 rides
- Last: Jul 10, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Te Ara Paparoa Trail Reports
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- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
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- Icy
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Directions to te-ara-paparoa trailhead
(-42.337300, 171.397930)
Photos
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Nearby Trails
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- Pike Access Road 16 miles
Paparoa National Park
- By mccmartini
MCG & contributors - #272228 - 9,298 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Te Ara Paparoa
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Where is Te Ara Paparoa located?
Te Ara Paparoa is located in Paparoa National Park, Reefton, New Zealand. It is part of the Paparoa National Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -42.3373, 171.39793.
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How hard is Te Ara Paparoa?
Te Ara Paparoa is rated as Advanced difficulty. The physical rating is Easy. The average grade is 0.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
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What is the elevation gain for Te Ara Paparoa?
Te Ara Paparoa has 5,524 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 6,531 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 31 ft to 3,723 ft.
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Is Te Ara Paparoa a point to point trail?
Te Ara Paparoa is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
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