Around the Mountains Cycle Trail Information

The section of trail from Mt Nicholas Station to Centre Hill has no mobile phone reception and passes through an alpine mountain region that is very exposed in poor weather. There are several shelters and toilets along this route but we highly recommend you are well prepared for a remote backcoutry experience with spare parts for your bike, emergency equipment, clothing and sufficient food and water.

You can ride the Around the Mountains trail in either direction but the official recommendation is to start in Queenstown and ride anti-clockwise. To get across Lake Wakatipu to start the trail there are several options. The TSS Earnslaw goes to Walter Peak Station, Southern Discoveries goes to Mt Nicholas Station or book a private water taxi and choose where to land.

Distance: 50km

Walter Peak Station is a working farm that is also the base for Real Journey's farm tours and their meal and morning tea experiences at the Walter Peak Homestead. The ATM trail officially starts from here and follows the farm road alongside Lake Wakatipu before turning inland along the Von Valley. Prepare yourself for the steep Von Hill before reaching the highpoint and enjoying the undulating but mostly down hill ride to Mavora Lakes. There are several streams to cross so expect to get wet feet. The only accommodation at Mavora Lakes is a Doc campsite. If you don't want to carry a tent, you need to prebook a shuttle to collect you and transfer you to Mossburn.

Distance: 50km

From Mavora Lakes, the quiet farm road becomes a busier backcountry gravel road. At busy times of the year, like the Christmas holidays, this road can get dusty with a stream of vehicles carrying fishermen and walkers to the lakes. You have the option to shuttle back to Mavora to ride in to Mossburn, or to shuttle to where the gravel road heads off road. The off road trail follows the Oreti River and farmland into the small town of Mossburn.

Distance: 20km

From Mossburn to Lumsden, the gradient gently slopes downhill so with the NW prevailing wind, more often than not you have a tail wind to speed you on your way. The trail follows next to the road (enjoy slaloming around the power poles!) until you reach the bridge over the Oreti River, hang a sharp left, and head under the bridge to follow the trail 2km south into Lumsden itself. Lumsden has a supermarket, excellent toilets and several places to eat so is a good place to buy breakfast or lunch.

Distance: 14km

Head north out of Lumsden back the way you came. Go under the road bridge but stay on the main trail and follow the Oreti River north. Five Rivers is a tiny community but has the well known Five Rivers cafe, a great place to stop for a coffee or lunch.

Distance: 18km

From Five Rivers you head through farm land and over the Jollies before heading over the Eyre Creek into the small township of Athol. There are public toilets, 2 cafes and a lovely new art gallery that's well worth a visit. 

Distance: 12km

The trail heads through Athol where it crosses the road and takes you north over the locally famous Golden Gate suspension bridges that cross the  Mataura River. The headwaters of the Mataura are know to have some of the best backcountry trout fishing in the world, so stop of the bridge and see if you can spot any trout.

Distance: 12km

Garston is another of the small communities that dot the landscape though the valley. There are more public toilets with some great information boards explaining the history of the region. Garston also has a great honey shop and 'The Bomb' a silver caravan that sells some of the best coffee, treats and burgers in the area.

Distance: 18km

The final leg. From Garston, follow the farm road through to Fairlight Station, where the Kingston Flyer Steam Train used to travel. The train is currently not operating but is still based in the Kingston Township if you want to have a look. From Fairlight, follow the trail along the edge of the mountains until you get to see Lake Wakatipu once again. The trail from here flows down the old glacier terminal morraine wall into the south west corner of Kingston, completing your journey, Around the Mountains.

To get back to Queenstown, we strongly recommend you book a shuttle and do not attempt to ride the Kingston to Queenstown road. SH6 is a busy, narrow, twisty 100kph road with plenty of inexperienced tourist drivers. It is not a safe road to cycle on.