World-Class Cycle Trail Launched in Otago

After 2 years of highly technical trail building, including a number of boardwalks bolted to cliffs and a stunning suspension bridge, the 42km long Lake Dunstan cycle and walking trail officially opened yesterday.

I had the privilege to be part of the event, which saw hundreds of keen cyclists and runners lined up at the start line for the official opening with the first 20 off the start line getting commemorative t-shirts and caps. At the finish line there was a huge community event with a DJ, food stalls, kids events, product tents, and an official thank-you celebration. 

As one of the co-founders of exploreGO I am passionate about two things,  getting people to experience adventure, and to connect with local communities and give back where I can. This is the ethos of why we set up exploreGO. It therefore aligns really well that I am a Trustee on the Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network Trust – the organization responsible for ensuring the trails get built and having oversight of funding for this nearly seven million dollar trail. 

Next up we have funding in place to build another 122km of trail that will link Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell together, and ultimately this will interconnect 30 small communities that will be able to leverage the trail for commercial tourism and for recreation and fitness.  

Check out the following video for a taste of what you can experience on this truly world-class trail…

https://youtu.be/6ODt5mZgZ94