West Coast Wilderness Trail
West Coast Wilderness Trail, Hokitika: Hours, Address, West Coast Wilderness Trail Reviews: 4.5/5
West Coast Wilderness Trail
West Coast Wilderness Trail
4.5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
The West Coast Wilderness Trail is a 132 km Grade 2 easy cycle trail that takes the rider through some of the most stunning and diverse scenery the West Coast of the South Island has to offer. The Trail is part of the Great Rides Nga Haerenga network and can be ridden in entirety over 4 days or there are many options available for one day rides and shorter multi day rides.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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The area
Address
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
38 within 5 kms
Maggie's Kitchen
383
0.3 km$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • New Zealand
Robert Harris Cafe
203
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • New Zealand
DP1 Cafe
202
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • New Zealand
Sevenpenny
102
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Gastropub • New Zealand
Priya Indian Restaurant
208
23 m$$ - $$$ • Indian • Asian • Vegetarian Friendly
The Speight's Ale House
798
0.5 km$$ - $$$ • Bar • Pub • Gastropub
Bonzai Cafe
210
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • Pizza • Cafe • International
Blanchfield Bakery
41
0.2 km$ • Bakeries • Cafe • New Zealand
Zaika Moroccan Grill & Bar
65
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • Moroccan • Mediterranean • Vegetarian Friendly
Raceway Carvery
32
0.2 km$ • Bar • Pub • New Zealand
Attractions
16 within 10 kms
Cobden Cave
5
0.2 kmCaverns & Caves • Scenic Walking Areas
Monteith's Brewing Company
917
0.4 kmBreweries
Greymouth i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
88
0.5 kmVisitor Centres
History House Museum
16
0.5 kmHistory Museums
Dixon Park
3
0.7 kmParks
Paparoa National Park
2
0.9 kmNational Parks
Greenstone Park Speedway
1
0.9 kmAuto Racing Tracks
Greymouth Breakwater
77
2 kmPiers & Boardwalks
St Patrick's Parish
3
1.1 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Churches & Cathedrals
Westland Recreation Centre
27
1.4 kmSports Complexes
Contribute
Popular mentions
4.5
225 reviews
Excellent
184
Very good
30
Average
8
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Mark L
8 contributions
Dec 2021 • Couples
Brilliant experience. We did it over 4 days with CycleJourneys: very well-organised and friendly. Easy mountain biking for not particularly fit couple in early 60s. ( good bikes rented from cycle journeys - one electric) the accommodation at Scenic Waterways, Beachfront hotel Hokitika and Kumara all worked well. Really fabulous being in the forest with the bird life and v few others for most of the time. The “extras”: treetop walkway, Scenic Waterways boat trip to Lake Mahinapua and guided walk in Hokitika gorge were all unexpected treats.
Gained a great introduction to the gold rush and associated industrial transformations which made Ross and Hokitika fantastic gold rush towns for a few years. Luckily (?) we had rain only on one afternoon.
Gained a great introduction to the gold rush and associated industrial transformations which made Ross and Hokitika fantastic gold rush towns for a few years. Luckily (?) we had rain only on one afternoon.
Written 20 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rapahoe
Motueka, New Zealand2 contributions
Nov 2021 • Solo
Such a powerful way to recharge. This trail is immaculately maintained and for many kilometres you ride in the bush alongside water: rivers, dams, water races. Lots of history and excuses to stop for a breather, although it’s not a difficult trail. Top rate traditional accomodation and food. Recommend the Theatre Royal Hotel in Kumara, and Empire Hotel in Ross. Great coffee and breakfast awaits at Stone Oven Bakery Hokitika and excellent accommodation at the newly established Hokitika Kiwi Holiday Park. I could do this trail again and again and each time will want to return.
Written 2 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Getaway76655
9 contributions
Nov 2021 • Friends
Hugely grateful to ride this well built & maintained track. Rich variety of scenery, history & accomodation.
Written 23 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
zhuhai2007
Christchurch, New Zealand48,159 contributions
Nov 2021
Riding the entire 126Km of the WWT over 2-3 days is an amazing experience and challenges the faint-hearted with switchbacks, steep descents, narrow boardwalks .... The scenery changes constantly from coastal plains, through flax & kahikatea; to lowland podocarp forest on old logging tracks; to remains of old sawmills and water races from the gold mining days.
E-bikes are recommended unless you are super-fit.
E-bikes are recommended unless you are super-fit.
Written 13 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MILLIE
Christchurch, New Zealand38 contributions
Apr 2021 • Friends
AMAZING beautiful scenery with the native forest + bush, lagoons,bridges and snow capped mountains. Forget about doing the Otago rail trail do this one instead!
A party of four saw that the weather was going to be sunny on the coast so we decided to cycle the WCW trail.
We based ourselves at Hokitika- Stopforths motel. It was so nice just to have a base + not move for accomodation each day plus the shower there was very good!
We used West Coast Cycle and tours ( use to be called Glory Days) shuttle service run by Donna and Scott. They were very flexible with the pickup times and gave us some good tips and recommendations on the trail and we would highly recommend their shuttle service.
Day 1 Hokitika to Ross we cycled halfway to tree top and had a nice drink + food there at the cafe. Then onto Ross where we had a drink at the nostalgic pub the Empire Hotel. They were very hospitable there and had a great fire. Donna and Zita the dog then picked us up in the shuttle + took us back to Hokitika
Day 2 Milltown to Kumara
Scotty dropped us off in the shuttle at Milltown. We biked to Cowboy Paradise + stopped there for a drink and sat out on their sunny deck + looked out @ the magical view. If you are biking in winter there is a lot of bush so make sure you layer up as it’s rather cool. At Kumara we had a drink at the Royal Hotel. We txt Donna + she picked us up and back to Hokitika
Day 3 Milltown to Hokitika
Scotty dropped us off at Milltown. We did a slight detour at Lake Kaniere and biked to Hans Bay which has a beautiful view of Lake Kaniere and Mt Cook. It has toilets there + a table so good place for a stop.
Day 4 Kumara to Greymouth
Scotty dropped us off at Kumara and we cycled to Greymouth. At the end we had a very nice lunch @ Monteiths brewery. Donna then transported us back to Hokitika.
Some improvement feedback for the trail to consider:
Greater promotion + advertising of this trail as the scenery is breath taking.
There is still a small proportion of the trail on the road. It would be good to have 100% of trail off the road. Even a temporary pathway along side the road until more substantial bush track is completed.
Have a few more cafes pubs open during the day for refreshments for the cyclists eg when we arrived in Kumara the Royal Hotel didn’t open until 4pm.
A party of four saw that the weather was going to be sunny on the coast so we decided to cycle the WCW trail.
We based ourselves at Hokitika- Stopforths motel. It was so nice just to have a base + not move for accomodation each day plus the shower there was very good!
We used West Coast Cycle and tours ( use to be called Glory Days) shuttle service run by Donna and Scott. They were very flexible with the pickup times and gave us some good tips and recommendations on the trail and we would highly recommend their shuttle service.
Day 1 Hokitika to Ross we cycled halfway to tree top and had a nice drink + food there at the cafe. Then onto Ross where we had a drink at the nostalgic pub the Empire Hotel. They were very hospitable there and had a great fire. Donna and Zita the dog then picked us up in the shuttle + took us back to Hokitika
Day 2 Milltown to Kumara
Scotty dropped us off in the shuttle at Milltown. We biked to Cowboy Paradise + stopped there for a drink and sat out on their sunny deck + looked out @ the magical view. If you are biking in winter there is a lot of bush so make sure you layer up as it’s rather cool. At Kumara we had a drink at the Royal Hotel. We txt Donna + she picked us up and back to Hokitika
Day 3 Milltown to Hokitika
Scotty dropped us off at Milltown. We did a slight detour at Lake Kaniere and biked to Hans Bay which has a beautiful view of Lake Kaniere and Mt Cook. It has toilets there + a table so good place for a stop.
Day 4 Kumara to Greymouth
Scotty dropped us off at Kumara and we cycled to Greymouth. At the end we had a very nice lunch @ Monteiths brewery. Donna then transported us back to Hokitika.
Some improvement feedback for the trail to consider:
Greater promotion + advertising of this trail as the scenery is breath taking.
There is still a small proportion of the trail on the road. It would be good to have 100% of trail off the road. Even a temporary pathway along side the road until more substantial bush track is completed.
Have a few more cafes pubs open during the day for refreshments for the cyclists eg when we arrived in Kumara the Royal Hotel didn’t open until 4pm.
Written 27 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Yvonne C
5 contributions
May 2021
No excuses. They have ebikes if you need. The scenery and history are stunning. It's not difficult but it's so rewarding.
Written 2 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you for your review. So simple but direct. You sum the trail up well.
Written 7 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Dreamer64988343039
15 contributions
Apr 2021
Magical rides through the forest with fantastic winding tracks. My first experience as a mountain-biker and going to be hard to beat. Donna and Alex from West Coast Cycle and Tours couldn't have been more helpful, driving me up to Milltown on 2 successive days for I could ride mostly downhill, first to Hokitika and then to Kumara. Highly recommended - the trail and the company. : )
Written 28 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Chris & Kathy
Silverdale, New Zealand49 contributions
Apr 2021
Cycling this trail was just magic, done at a leisurely pace over 4 days enabled us to really enjoy and soak up the wonderful West Coast Scenery and hospitality
Written 23 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you for your review. It sounds like you have four great days on the trail. Excellent.
Written 7 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
LTK1999
Dunedin, New Zealand27 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
My husband (60) & I (51) & my parents (72 & 78) rode 3 days’ on the trail over Easter. Based on what I read on Trip Advisor, we hired cycles (e-bikes for parents) off Hokitika Cycles & Sportsworld. They are very friendly & helpful. We based ourselves in Hokitika & because of weather did Day 1 shuttle to Milltown- bike to Kumara: Day 2 shuttle to Milltown bike to Hokitika with a bit extra around Lake Kaniere; Day 3 Ross to Hokitika. Stayed at Stopforths Motel Hokitika. Modern & clean accommodation. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Would highly recommend.
Written 7 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you for your review. We are pleased you enjoyed riding the trail. Many people are now riding the sections in a similar way to what you did so we are pleased you shared it. The trail is a grade 2 with some sections slightly higher because they are on road so very ridable by people in older age groups. Hopefully we will see you back sometime soon.
Written 19 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Ben Millar
Motueka, New Zealand7 contributions
Apr 2021
I loved this trail! Totally doable for anyone with almost any kind of bike. I chose to ride from Greynouth through to Hokitika in one go as I wanted to avoid staying at Cowboy Paradise, which I am really pleased about. The whole trail could be done in one day as there are lots of food stops if you have average fitness. Lots of interesting signage and great shuttle options from Ross. Well maintained and signposted track too. Can't wait to come back and do it the other way around :)
Written 5 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you for your response. A one day ride would be a huge challenge to most riders on the Wilderness Trail as our main market are over 50 with most over 60. We do encourage people to take their time and experience the towns and attractions along the way if they have the time. If this is not an option it is a great ride to do as you have. We look forward to you returning to ride it again.
Written 19 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tracey P
Branxton10 contributions
Hey Lily
We are thinking about riding from Hokitika to Ross, stopping for a break then returning to Hokitika the same day, reading everyone's comments sounds doable, just wondering what you thought
Regards
Tracey
europanz
Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand2 contributions
Hi,, what do you mean by" there are easier ways"? Im interested in doing the track. I can stay in greymouth, I can borrow a bike from someone there. ..I`m a bit nervous about getting a flatty... do you think I can do the whole trip from Greymouth to Hokitika in one day? I am fairly fit.. I bike 17 kms a day.. I`m 63.
Jandalz3
Barcelona259 contributions
We did greymouth to Cowboys paradise in one day, about 65km and that was great but enough. That's the sort of distance we normally ride on our road bikes. It could be done in a day if you left really early (6am) and rode all day and it was a Lin summer day but at this time of the year you'd be probably in the dark by the end.
I think you would be needing to ride longer distances (up to 60-75km) a couple of times per week to build up stamina and endurance if your normal distance is 17km.
It's not impossible to do all in one day if you are super fit but if you can take 2 days I would. Although I just read yesterday there's been some troubles with cowboy paradise and there council so you might want to check that out if you haven't gone yet
Tcscmk
62 contributions
Hi
We are a family of 8
2 grandparents
2 parents and 4 high school kids
hoping to west coast wilderness trail on bike in January 2016
Will it be too hot?
It becomes expensive to do a set tour when multiplied by 8. Does anyone have suggestions as to which would be the cheapest way to do the trail ie hire bikes/ organise own accommodation etc I do like to organise trips so am happy to put the time and effort in if it is possible
Thanks a lot Cath
misadventerous
Nelson, New Zealand13 contributions
Hi Cath
In January the weather will be at it's hottest at a likely maximum of 27degrees. Being next to the sea you will get a breeze there and shade in the bush, so nothing to worry about.
The West Coast Wilderness Trail website is the best website to use to plan your trip it has the route, accommodation providers and provides options for bike hire. (TripAdvisor doesn't allow website links so please google this).
In the Hokitika and Greymouth i-SITE buildings there is a book available to purchase, this book is jam packed with details and is a great souvenir to reflect back on the trip once you and your family have completed the trail.
I hope this information helps and lowers the cost for you.
guydeitch
Tel Aviv, Israel
Hi!
A couple of questions regarding the trail:
1. I couldn't find any info whether the trail is free (including the bike rental). If not, what are the costs?
2. As a backpacker, is there a way to transport my backpack so that I don't have to ride with it on my back?
Thanks in advance!
Betty S
Rotorua, New Zealand80 contributions
The others have answered that the trail is free to cycle on, this is correct.
You need to either use a shuttle service or do what we did, hire a car and do sections of the trail there and back daily. We hired a car from West Coast rentals, up was cheap and the station wagon took our bikes just fine.
As the services are really new it's a bit hit and miss but we would totally recommend doing it, the scenery is just beautiful and it is not too difficult.
Brian Ó
Dublin, Ireland23 contributions
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for the very informative post - I'm planning a trip along the west coast so I need as much info as I can get!
I do have one question though - how long did it take you to cycle from Cowboy Paradise to Hokitika? There is a bus leaving Hokitika at 2pm and I'm not sure whether I'll make it in time. I don't mind leaving Cowboy's Paradise first thing if need be.
Thanks for any help!
Brian-
davo521
Christchurch, New Zealand1 contribution
Probably too late for you Brian but for anyone else reading this I would allow at least 3 hours for this leg. Especially since you may not be overly frisky after the first two days riding. Cheers Dave
Waimate1
Waimate, New Zealand124 contributions
Could you get trip advisor to rename west coast rail trail to its correct name of westcoast wilderness trail so that it matches the website etc.
Tourism_West_Coast
Greymouth, New Zealand
Hi Waimate 1.
All the web site details are now correct. :-)
