The best of
Rotorua. Ranked.

Yes — the Whakarewarewa Forest trail network is free to ride. What you pay for is bike hire, shuttle runs up the hill, and the lift-accessed gravity park, which is a separate commercial operation with its own pass.

Very much so. The network is graded from grade 2 green family loops on wide smooth trail up to grade 6, and the beginner loops start right at the main trailheads. It is one of the better places in the country to ride for the first time, and hire shops on site will point you at the right loop.

Year-round. The forest floor is pumice and pine needles, so it drains fast and rides well even after rain — one of the reasons the network has the reputation it does. Summer is busiest; winter mornings are quiet and the trails are usually still in good condition.

In summer, school holidays and around event weekends, yes — the on-site hire fleets and the shuttle seats run out. Outside those windows you can usually turn up. E-bike and full-suspension demo bikes are the first things to go.