The Queenstown Trail offers so many choices and is a spectacular way to absorb the Wakatipu Basin's stunning scenery. The terrain is suitable fo all age groups and for beginner to intermediate cyclists. The trail is designed so that cyclists can ride individual sections or the entire route.
The following notes describe the Queenstown to Arrowtown section of the trail. The easier option is to ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown -simply reverse the route notes.
- Start at the Memorial Gates on the Marine Parade on the Queenstown waterfront
- Cycle towards the Queenstown Gardens and follow the waterfront trail around the peninsula
- Turn right at Park Street heading around the small bay towards the marked Frankton track
- Follow the Frankton track to Frankton Beach and continue past the motor camp as far as the Remarkables School
- A gravel path leads around the front of the school on the right hand side and onto the main highway
- Cross over the pedestrian crossing and follow the footpath heading back left towards Frankton and the Queenstown airport
- At the roundabout, which turns off to the airport, go straight ahead and continue on the main highway towards Frankton for approximately 100 metres
- On the right is a marked tar seal trail across the Frankton Golf course which leads to the Queenstown Events Centre
- Ride directly through the Events Centre grounds to the obvious trail leading north away from Queenstown
- This trail winds its way along farm roads to Glenda Drive in the Frankton industrial subdivision
- At Glenda Drive turn left for approximately 50 metres and look for the signposted trail toward Arrowtown (adjacent to Party Plus) on the opposite side of the road
- Follow the trail down to the Shotover River Flats and beneath State Highway 6 and the new Shotover Bridge. The trail winds its way alongside the Shotover River and climbs to the original historic Shotover Bridge
- Cross the restored historic bridge which provides an ideal photo opportunity, taking in the Shotover River and surrounding mountains
- After crossing the bridge turn hard right on the narrow, steep trail down to the Shotover River (some riders may prefer to walk their bikes down this section) and follow the trail to Domain Road
- Turn right into Domain Road and left into Lower Shotover Road
- For a flat ride, cycle on the road to the intersection with Speargrass Flat Road and turn right
- Ride 1500 metres along Speargrass Flat road and look for the Millbrook trail sign on the left just past the Slopehill Road turnoff
- Alternatively, for a more challenging uphill ride, take the first right into Slopehill Road from Lower Shotover Road
- At the top of Slopehill Road turn left and cycle downhill. Pass through the chicane, turn left and continue to the end of Slopehill Road, which joins Speargrass Flat Road about 50 metres diagonally to the right from the Millbrook signposted trail
- Take the Millbrook trail which leads to Millbrook Resort where accommodation, food and toilets are available. This is a smooth gravel trail but tends to be quite steep in parts, so be prepared for a bit of bike pushing.
- Cycle through Millbrook head to the main entrance on Malaghan Road. Cross the road to Butel Park
- Stay on the trail which becomes Manse Road and leads to the historic Chinese Village on the banks of the Arrow River
- Follow the signs to the historic Arrowtown township
This Queenstown -Arrowtown trail can also be linked into the scenic Lakes Hayes Loop by turning left off Slopehill Road and onto Rutherford Road where the track is clearly marked. The Lake Hayes Loop is one of the most popular rides for locals and visitors taking around 45 minutes for intermediate cyclists and 1hr 15 minutes for beginners.
