North Range Road

Region

Manawatu - Wanganui

Type

MUni

Level

Intermediate

Average rating

2

Contributed By

Steve Pavarno

Ride through the wind farms to stunning views of the Manawatu district, over the back to Pahiatua, south to the Tararuas and north to the Ruahines.

Driving from Palmerston North, turn left off the Pahiatua Track (Pahiatua Aokautere Rd) onto North Range Road, a dirt road on the other side of the carpark at the highest point. About 2km along there is a passive radar dome, and maybe 200m past that there is a place to pull off the road and park.

The 4WD track is easy riding: the grade is fairly gentle when it does climb, but most of this route is downhill. Just as you get to the first pine trees, the fences pull back a bit and there are obvious tracks where MTB or motorbikes have been playing on the lumps and bumps (to the right of the road).

You can turn around when you feel like it- to make the ride as long or short as you like. For a through-trip, get your driver to go through the gorge and cross the Ballance Bridge. First right is the road up to the windmills that joins North Range Road. It is a 2 hour 29er ride from end to end.

Comments

Rated 2/5 by Jesse Traill on 08 Jan 10
very easy. good if you like gravile roads