more stats
5,233 ft
Distance
159 ft
Climb
-41 ft
Descent
00:09:24
Avg time
118 ft
Altitude change
1,281 ft
Altitude min
1,418 ft
Altitude max
1,285 ft
Altitude start
1,404 ft
Altitude end
2.3%
Grade
-6.9%
Grade max
14.4%
Grade min
3,012 ft
Distance climb
1,237 ft
Distance down
984 ft
Distance flat
00:09:24
Avg time

The Tickler Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
    Whakarewarewa Forest
    Rotorua
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    90 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 95 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #1251 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #2828 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Downhill Only
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1

The Tickler has a fast section at the start, dropping down to the creek. This section was revised in September 2012, to bypass the original entrance section. This was technical and suffered from rain and braking ruts making it harder than the grade 3 designation of the trail.

Shortly after the creek crossing there is a short but tricky pinch climb to a clearing with a few of the remaining Californian Redwoods from the orignal stand of forest. Take a moment here and keep your eyes and ears open. One of the NZ native falcons released in 2013 has been making itself at home in this area.

The next stage follows the profile and style of the original trail which was lost in the 2011 harvesting activity. It is a gradual climb from the stand of Redwoods – no steep sections, just a gradual climb that winds its way up.
Normally handles wet weather well. The occasional hard frost in the middle of winter can make it slippery as the frozen surface softens during the day.

source: Ride Rotorua
Access Info

Starting from the skid site at the end of Spruce Rd (you get there via Katore Jumps or another favorite, Paddy's Run (formerly called A Trail).

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 10 rides
  • 17 miles average
6 Months
  • 329 rides
  • 19 miles avg distance
All
  • 2,738 rides
  • Last: Jun 22, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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The Tickler Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 7, 2026 @ 2:46pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Jun 6, 2026
 reporter Someone else did the hard yards but a bit of a tidy up done, tree down in previous report has been cleared
Jun 4, 2026 @ 4:42pm (Pacific/Auckland)
Jun 3, 2026
 Treeact across trail, 150mm thick , can't get around.
May 14, 2026 @ 8:30am (Pacific/Auckland)
May 13, 2026
Apr 11, 2026 @ 7:13am (Pacific/Auckland)
Apr 10, 2026
Mar 14, 2026 @ 9:27am (Pacific/Auckland)
Mar 13, 2026
more »
Status:
on Jun 7, 2026
Wet
Avg: 3.23 (24 votes)
Your vote: 0

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  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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        Directions to the-tickler trailhead (-38.168310, 176.284630)

        Photos

        37 more »
        73 |
        Feb 18, 2019 @ 10:46am
        Feb 18, 2019
        23 |
        Dec 27, 2024 @ 1:14pm
        Dec 27, 2024
        31 |
        May 10, 2023 @ 4:16pm
        May 10, 2023
        29 |
        May 22, 2022 @ 2:37pm
        May 22, 2022

        Videos

        3 more »
        Tickler - Redwoods 24.2.24
        7:21 | 275 | Feb 24, 2024 , Rotorua
        The Tickler, Rotorua - The ORIGINAL line at...
        0:14 | 825 | Oct 30, 2019 , Rotorua
        Tickler, Rotorua - Not your normal tickle
        2:07 | 685 | Aug 22, 2019 , Rotorua

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        1 Review & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        Whakarewarewa Forest

        Frequently Asked Questions About The Tickler

        ▼ Where is The Tickler located?
        The Tickler is located in Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua, New Zealand. It is part of the Whakarewarewa Forest trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates -38.16831, 176.28463.
        ▼ How hard is The Tickler?
        The Tickler is rated as Blue difficulty. The average grade is 2.3%.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for The Tickler?
        The Tickler has 159 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 41 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,281 ft to 1,418 ft.
        ▼ Is The Tickler a point to point trail?
        Yes, The Tickler is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.

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