Access Ride Guide

People with physical disabilities enjoy getting outdoors and with careful planning, and a little help, many sections of the Hawke’s Bay Trails can be enjoyed. We want to encourage and help riders with specialist mobility needs to enjoy the trail, fresh air, the wonderful scenery and landscapes. For people with a wide range of physical disabilities, and on a variety of chairs, mobility devices and bikes, or towing buggies for children, we suggest the below sections. They are more accessible to larger bikes and trikes, most suitable for all sorts of different mobility needs and helps plan your ride. 

Recommended Accessible Sections:

1. Ahuriri to Waitangi Star Compass and back 24km approx. Plenty of places to stop at in Ahuriri, and attractions along Marine Parade.
2. Napier to Bayview and Water ride back via Westshore – Please note there are ‘garden gates’ along some sections. This ride goes through a working farm, has a couple of short/steep sections up onto a stop bank, and road crossings. Ahuriri underpass can tidally flood - there is an option to cross the state highway but otherwise accessible. 23km approx.
3. Clifton to Haumoana Haumoana Rd – Grange Rd North and back 14.6km. 
4. Ahuriri, Napier to Taradale to Mission or Church Rd winery for lunch and back 24km.

We hope to have a PDF guide early in 2025 that can be downloaded. It will identify rides with specific details like; gates, crossings, gradients or any known hazards, so that individuals can make their own judgements if the ride is suitable or for their equipment.

Gates and Access to Trails

We are privileged to be allowed Hawke’s Bay Trail Great Ride on private farm, stop banks and conservation land, where we need to ensure stock stay in, wildlife and property are protected, and to do so we need to keep unauthorised vehicles out. To do this unfortunately, we must install gates in some of our river corridors, regional parks, reserves, and working farms. This is to prevent undesirable behaviour like damage of property/trails, rubbish dumping and for the safety of trail users.

We know gates can restrict some genuine users, those with larger bikes, mobility devices or trikes, we apologise and do our best to minimise impact to all trail users. Hence as per above, we recommend the most accessible trails to enjoy. 

You will see we do not permit or allow dirt motorbikes or unauthorised vehicles on reserves, sportsgrounds, or share trails/footpaths. Unauthorized vehicles damage reserves, limesand trails, stop banks, parks, the fragile bird nesting habitats in these areas and pose a safety risk to trail users walking or cycling.