317:
360:. On the journey it passes through three tunnels (the two Poolburn Gorge Tunnels and the Prices Creek Tunnel) and over several large viaducts. A torch (flashlight) is advised for the tunnels. The trail is well maintained and signposted. Toilets are available at several points and the contours are best described as easy, having been built to allow steam trains to climb the gentle inclines even in winter, with frost on the rails.
398:
371:, with extremes of temperature common. Midsummer daytime temperatures frequently climb above 28 °C (82 °F), and winters can include entire days with a temperature staying below freezing point. One known issue on the trail can be the strong winds that can develop from the nearby mountain ranges under certain weather conditions, slowing riders going in the wrong direction to a crawl.
304:
375:
28:
351:
To enjoy the scenery, the engineering involved in building the railway and the towns and people along the way, 5–7 days should be allowed to walk the Trail or 3–5 days to cycle it. The trail starts at 201 metres (660 ft) above sea level in
Middlemarch and rises at its highest point to 618 metres
233:. The trail has become a popular tourist attraction, with 10,000–12,000 users per year as a conservative estimate, and yearly (and ongoing) user increases for 6 out of the last 7 years (as of 2011). The trail is also accepted as being, by a large margin, the biggest non-farming economic factor in the
363:
The trail passes through or past several small towns. Mountain bikes can be rented from outlets in
Middlemarch, Ranfurly, Alexandra and Clyde. Some of these cycle shops will also provide transport for riders and bikes, and will move luggage. The trail is very popular, and accommodation should be
347:
Towns in the area have, however, developed facilities for trail users, and companies have been developed to aid travellers on the trail, such as transporting luggage between destinations. Due to the increasing numbers of pubs now available on the track route, the trail has also been nicknamed the
292:
Since, the trail has come to be recognised as an important feature of the region, highlighted for example by strong interest from numerous groups in a 2011 workshop, where 120 people attended to discuss the further future of the trail, and how to encourage users to stay in the area for longer.
417:
section was the most popular, with around 24,000 yearly users. Trail patronage is counted using electronic counters, with the numbers at four remote locations extrapolated to estimate the whole trail usage, as not all riders ride the full trail.
386:, has a website and publishes a leaflet that provides detailed information on the route, and advertisements for businesses providing services to users of the trail. There are visitor information centres in Alexandra,
344:, used by the early gold miners to access Central Otago. It traverses open country with little accommodation or food between the typical stops. Users need to be self-sufficient for much of each day.
68:
421:
The users of the trail have been shown as approximately 9% guided tour customers, 50% independent travellers (renting a bicycle) and 41% New
Zealanders bringing their own bicycles.
112:
413:
The trail is used by 10,000–12,000 users per year as a conservative estimate (14,000 in other estimates) and up to 80,000 further (mostly local) users of part sections. The
903:
300:
project succeeded in gaining funding, and was cited as an example of the kind of infrastructure the project is to provide by New
Zealand's Prime Minister John Key.
1090:
424:
A business evaluation has credited the trail with supporting around 1,000 full and part-time jobs, and having created 200 additional or part-time jobs.
278:
896:
805:
772:
752:
1095:
607:
520:
577:
394:, Ranfurly and Dunedin. Several books on the trail and the surrounding area can be purchased at bookshops throughout New Zealand.
1085:
994:
889:
1100:
826:
1039:
783:
550:
684:
467:
325:
989:
656:
316:
853:
222:
62:
848:
711:
498:
439:(a New Zealand-wide trail system, of which the Otago Central Rail Trail is a part of as well as a forerunner)
281:
recognised that the remainder of the route to Clyde had potential as a recreational facility, and bought the
912:
625:
436:
297:
215:
875:
1105:
1019:
968:
716:
689:
661:
555:
238:
843:
1064:
1014:
402:
391:
387:
353:
230:
1009:
999:
943:
427:
Annual maintenance and development costs for the trail have been estimated at somewhat over $ 316,000.
953:
933:
1024:
973:
958:
249:
The original railway line was completed at the turn of the 20th century, and provided a link between
324:
The trail starts at
Middlemarch in the east, loops north through the spectacular countryside of the
368:
340:. The return journey to Middlemarch or Dunedin can be made on foot or by bicycle over the historic
1004:
948:
938:
333:
226:
106:
801:
768:
748:
582:
472:
1034:
341:
274:
258:
838:
1029:
414:
397:
747:(4th ed.). Dunedin. NZ: The Otago Railway & Locomotive Society Incorporated.
1079:
250:
320:
Poolburn
Viaduct, one of the former rail bridges re-established for the cycle trail.
963:
337:
286:
270:
207:
364:
booked well in advance during busy periods such as long weekends and holidays.
211:
203:
128:
114:
84:
70:
630:
329:
234:
57:
218:
umbrella organisation in 2012, having been one of the inspirations for it.
881:
865:
357:
282:
266:
262:
303:
871:
Otago
Central Rail Trail on Bikemap (interactive map with gpx-download)
367:
The trail passes through one of the few parts of New
Zealand to have a
296:
The success of the rail trail played an important role in ensuring the
257:
until closure in 1990. The first 64 km from the junction with the
254:
870:
578:"Opinion: Great for the cycling public, but what about the landowner?"
383:
269:'s Taieri Industrial Siding and the remaining 60 km through the
210:
of New
Zealand. A pioneering project for New Zealand, the successful
608:
Investment for the
Development of the New Zealand Cycleway Project
396:
374:
373:
315:
302:
49:
27:
712:"Barbara Cuthbert: Key could be on the right track with cycleway"
878:(New Zealand Trails website for local and international tourism)
885:
745:
Over The Garden Wall: The Story of the Otago Central Railway
551:"Why Key's national bike track could be paved with gold"
767:(5th expanded ed.). Wellington, NZ: Transpress.
499:"Pioneering Otago rail trail joins national cycleway"
1052:
982:
926:
919:
188:
180:
172:
164:
152:
56:
45:
37:
20:
521:"Key hails success of 'inspirational' rail trail"
265:remain operational; the initial 4 km form
611:– Cabinet Paper, Ministry of Tourism, May 2009
897:
785:Otago Central Rail Trail: Heritage assessment
759:(soft-bound); 978-0-473-17362-3 (hard-bound).
8:
791:, Wellington, NZ: Department of Conservation
743:Dangerfield, J. A.; Emerson, G. W. (2010).
493:
491:
923:
904:
890:
882:
798:Trail: Riding the Otago Central Rail Trail
866:Official Otago Central Rail Trail Website
650:
648:
384:Otago Central Rail Trail Charitable Trust
192:Otago Central landscape, railway viaducts
619:
617:
602:
600:
448:
204:walking, cycling and horse riding track
796:Sorrell, Paul; Warman, Graham (2011).
544:
542:
279:New Zealand Department of Conservation
17:
462:
460:
458:
456:
454:
452:
7:
765:The Otago Central Railway: A tribute
1091:Hiking and tramping tracks in Otago
657:"Staying on track in Central Otago"
468:"Rail trail still proving popular"
14:
221:The trail runs in an arc between
995:Around the Mountains Cycle Trail
655:Thompson, Wayne (30 July 2010).
549:Parker, Tamsyn (23 March 2009).
401:The Otago Central Rail Trail at
229:, along the route of the former
26:
624:Luke, Peter (27 October 2009).
32:On the Otago Central Rail Trail
683:Hueber, Andre (19 June 2011).
382:The manager of the trail, the
273:to Middlemarch is operated by
1:
277:as a tourist attraction. The
1040:West Coast Wilderness Trail
854:GPX (secondary coordinates)
307:Location of the rail trail.
1122:
1096:Rail trails in New Zealand
168:618 m (2,028 ft)
990:Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail
876:Cycle Trails New Zealand
849:GPX (primary coordinates)
824:Map all coordinates using
800:. Auckland, NZ: Penguin.
626:"Central's cycling mecca"
25:
1060:Otago Central Rail Trail
832:Download coordinates as:
352:(2,028 ft) between
200:Otago Central Rail Trail
21:Otago Central Rail Trail
1086:New Zealand Cycle Trail
913:New Zealand Cycle Trail
685:"Cycleway the only way"
437:New Zealand Cycle Trail
312:Trail walking / cycling
298:New Zealand Cycle Trail
216:New Zealand Cycle Trail
1101:Central Otago District
969:Twin Coast Cycle Trail
782:Mahoney, Paul (2015),
717:The New Zealand Herald
690:The New Zealand Herald
662:The New Zealand Herald
556:The New Zealand Herald
405:
379:
336:, on the banks of the
321:
308:
129:45.19476°S 169.33562°E
85:45.50293°S 170.12594°E
1065:Queen Charlotte Track
844:GPX (all coordinates)
400:
377:
319:
306:
231:Otago Central Railway
96:Middlemarch trailhead
1025:St James Cycle Trail
1020:Roxburgh Gorge Trail
974:Waikato River Trails
763:Hurst, Tony (2008).
285:after the rails and
134:-45.19476; 169.33562
90:-45.50293; 170.12594
369:continental climate
289:had been salvaged.
202:is a 150-kilometre
124: /
80: /
52:region, New Zealand
1015:Lake Dunstan Trail
1005:Dun Mountain Trail
944:Hawke's Bay Trails
939:Hauraki Rail Trail
409:Usage / Statistics
406:
380:
322:
309:
1073:
1072:
1048:
1047:
1010:Great Taste Trail
1000:Clutha Gold Trail
807:978-0-143566-07-6
774:978-1-877418-05-1
754:978-0-473-17363-0
583:Otago Daily Times
525:Otago Daily Times
473:Otago Daily Times
378:On the Rail Trail
196:
195:
1113:
1035:Queenstown Trail
954:Mountains to Sea
934:Great Lake Trail
924:
906:
899:
892:
883:
811:
792:
790:
778:
758:
730:
729:
727:
725:
708:
702:
701:
699:
697:
680:
674:
673:
671:
669:
652:
643:
642:
640:
638:
621:
612:
604:
595:
594:
592:
590:
574:
568:
567:
565:
563:
546:
537:
536:
534:
532:
517:
511:
510:
508:
506:
501:. 2 January 2012
495:
486:
485:
483:
481:
464:
342:Old Dunstan Road
275:Dunedin Railways
148:
147:
145:
144:
143:
141:
136:
135:
130:
125:
122:
121:
120:
117:
104:
103:
101:
100:
99:
97:
92:
91:
86:
81:
78:
77:
76:
73:
30:
18:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1115:
1114:
1112:
1111:
1110:
1076:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1053:Heritage trails
1044:
978:
959:Thermal by Bike
915:
910:
862:
861:
860:
859:
858:
819:
814:
808:
795:
788:
781:
775:
762:
755:
742:
738:
736:Further reading
733:
723:
721:
720:. 10 March 2009
710:
709:
705:
695:
693:
682:
681:
677:
667:
665:
654:
653:
646:
636:
634:
623:
622:
615:
605:
598:
588:
586:
576:
575:
571:
561:
559:
548:
547:
540:
530:
528:
527:. 14 March 2012
519:
518:
514:
504:
502:
497:
496:
489:
479:
477:
466:
465:
450:
446:
433:
411:
314:
259:Main South Line
247:
159:
157:
140:Clyde trailhead
139:
137:
133:
131:
127:
126:
123:
118:
115:
113:
111:
110:
109:
105:
95:
93:
89:
87:
83:
82:
79:
74:
71:
69:
67:
66:
65:
33:
12:
11:
5:
1119:
1117:
1109:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1078:
1077:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1062:
1056:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1046:
1045:
1043:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1030:Old Ghost Road
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
986:
984:
980:
979:
977:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
930:
928:
921:
917:
916:
911:
909:
908:
901:
894:
886:
880:
879:
873:
868:
857:
856:
851:
846:
841:
835:
829:
822:
821:
820:
818:
817:External links
815:
813:
812:
806:
793:
779:
773:
760:
753:
739:
737:
734:
732:
731:
703:
675:
644:
613:
596:
569:
538:
512:
487:
447:
445:
442:
441:
440:
432:
429:
415:Poolburn Gorge
410:
407:
313:
310:
246:
243:
194:
193:
190:
186:
185:
182:
178:
177:
174:
170:
169:
166:
162:
161:
154:
150:
149:
60:
54:
53:
47:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
31:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1118:
1107:
1106:The Maniototo
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1083:
1081:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1051:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
987:
985:
981:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
931:
929:
925:
922:
918:
914:
907:
902:
900:
895:
893:
888:
887:
884:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
863:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
836:
834:
833:
828:
827:OpenStreetMap
825:
816:
809:
803:
799:
794:
787:
786:
780:
776:
770:
766:
761:
756:
750:
746:
741:
740:
735:
719:
718:
713:
707:
704:
692:
691:
686:
679:
676:
664:
663:
658:
651:
649:
645:
633:
632:
627:
620:
618:
614:
610:
609:
603:
601:
597:
585:
584:
579:
573:
570:
558:
557:
552:
545:
543:
539:
526:
522:
516:
513:
500:
494:
492:
488:
476:. 23 May 2011
475:
474:
469:
463:
461:
459:
457:
455:
453:
449:
443:
438:
435:
434:
430:
428:
425:
422:
419:
416:
408:
404:
399:
395:
393:
389:
385:
376:
372:
370:
365:
361:
359:
355:
349:
348:'Ale Trail'.
345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
326:Strath Taieri
318:
311:
305:
301:
299:
294:
290:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
251:Central Otago
244:
242:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
219:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
165:Highest point
163:
155:
151:
146:
108:
102:
64:
61:
59:
55:
51:
48:
44:
40:
36:
29:
24:
19:
16:
1059:
983:South Island
964:Timber Trail
927:North Island
831:
830:
823:
797:
784:
764:
744:
722:. Retrieved
715:
706:
694:. Retrieved
688:
678:
666:. Retrieved
660:
635:. Retrieved
629:
606:
587:. Retrieved
581:
572:
560:. Retrieved
554:
529:. Retrieved
524:
515:
503:. Retrieved
478:. Retrieved
471:
426:
423:
420:
412:
381:
366:
362:
350:
346:
338:Clutha River
323:
295:
291:
271:Taieri Gorge
248:
220:
208:South Island
199:
197:
160:Horse riding
15:
949:Motu Trails
223:Middlemarch
214:joined the
132: /
119:169°20′08″E
88: /
75:170°07′33″E
63:Middlemarch
1080:Categories
920:New trails
724:1 November
637:1 November
562:1 November
505:17 January
444:References
332:to end at
212:rail trail
184:Year round
173:Difficulty
138: (
116:45°11′41″S
94: (
72:45°30′11″S
58:Trailheads
668:17 August
631:The Press
330:Maniototo
283:formation
239:Alexandra
235:Maniototo
589:4 August
531:14 April
480:4 August
431:See also
403:Ranfurly
392:Roxburgh
388:Cromwell
358:Oturehua
354:Ranfurly
328:and the
287:sleepers
267:KiwiRail
263:Wingatui
176:Moderate
46:Location
696:20 June
255:Dunedin
245:History
206:in the
158:Cycling
156:Walking
804:
771:
751:
241:area.
189:Sights
181:Season
41:150 km
38:Length
789:(PDF)
334:Clyde
227:Clyde
107:Clyde
50:Otago
802:ISBN
769:ISBN
749:ISBN
726:2011
698:2011
670:2011
639:2011
591:2011
564:2011
533:2012
507:2012
482:2011
356:and
253:and
225:and
198:The
839:KML
261:in
153:Use
1082::
714:.
687:.
659:.
647:^
628:.
616:^
599:^
580:.
553:.
541:^
523:.
490:^
470:.
451:^
390:,
905:e
898:t
891:v
810:.
777:.
757:.
728:.
700:.
672:.
641:.
593:.
566:.
535:.
509:.
484:.
237:-
142:)
98:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
