The much awaited Lake Dunstan Trail is only months away from being completed, with 3 out of 4 sections already open to the public. This stunning cycle trail takes you from Smith's way, along Lake Dunstan, through the Vineyards of Bannockburn with the final section to Clyde expected to be completed in March 2021.

Take a look at the map below showing the sections that are open to ride, read the trail progress report below and learn how you can ride the trail with support from Trail Journeys.

 

Trail Progress Report

The Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail spans from Smiths Way, just north of Pisa Morning’s through to the Township of Clyde and will be a Grade 1-2 in the NZ Cycle Trails system. The trail is suitable for most riders and multi-geared bike with good trail tires is recommended, such as a comfort bike, touring bike or mountain bike. E-bikes are also suitable as long as they are ridden appropriately and have sufficient battery capacity.

The trail is being built in four sections. Smith’s Way to Cornish Point is complete and now open. This part of the trail is relatively flat and meanders alongside the lake and inlets of Pisa Mooring’s, passing the 45th parallel, Lowburn Inlet and he Cromwell boat harbor before getting to the Cromwell Township and crossing the bridge into Bannockburn.

 

The final section of the trail through to Clyde is currently under construction and is due to open in March 2021, just in time for the Autumn Colours! This section includes major structures including bridges and a suspension bridge being built for the mid part of the trail that crosses one of the dry creeks.

There are five bolt on sections/bluff bridges along this track and the first two are complete – these span about 40-50m each. The third bluff bridge is currently under way and this will be approx. 200m. There are some unique features of this trail such as the bluff bridges and also the easy access to the local wineries in the Cromwell and Bannockburn area.

When Will The Trail Be Open?

3 sections of the trail are open to the public, with the final section expected to be complete along with signage, safety and certification sometime in March 2021. 
 

When/How Can We Book?

The Trail Journeys team has been having fun creating 1 and 2 day draft itineraries for this trail. These will be able to be booked individually or added on to one of our other packages for trails around the region.

Our new depot at the Cromwell Highlands Motorsport Park will be our base for most of our Lake Dunstan rides, with bikes available to hire as well as our usual trail services.

We haven't yet packaged up a self-guided trip on this trail as there are a few things we need to cover off before we can take bookings – not least of which is riding the trail ourselves! Once we have a clear idea of what this trail brings, we’ll be able to give you more trip details and pricing.

In the meantime, if you would like to ride the open sections of the trail, contact our team and we will be able to help you out with bike hire and transport.

Here’s a taste of the packages we will have on offer: 

• A 1 day ride either from in either direction from Bannockburn or Clyde (34kms). Take in the world class wineries or Highlands Motorsport Park. Will include a pick-up and drop off to Queenstown although we would recommend at least a night in Central Otago.
   
• A 2 day trip as above including 20kms to Pisa Moorings with a night in Clyde, Cromwell or surrounds. Bag transfers will be included as will collection and drop off in Queenstown. Any of our packages can be bespoke and tailored to your requirements.
   
• A 1 or 2 day wine tour from Cromwell, visiting the wineries in Bannockburn. A winery map of the area is currently being made, so all you'll need is to hire a bike and away you go.

For ongoing updates of the trail you can follow the Lake Dunstan Cycle & Walking Trail Facebook Page. Any further questions or queries please don’t hesitate to contact us.