Last Updated: 20th Mar 2024
Miners Trail
Last Updated: 20th Mar 2024
Open
Grunt Factor: 27 ?
Gnarl Factor: 28 ?
15.5km
1070m
1070m
1050m
Last Updated: 20th Mar 2024
Last Updated: 20th Mar 2024
Open
Grunt Factor: 27 ?
Gnarl Factor: 28 ?
15.5km
1070m
1070m
1050m
Front country - easily accessible
Loop
Very hilly
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Riverside
Open tussock/grasslands
Open ridges/tops
Gravel Road
Farm Road / 4WD Track
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +13.2%
Average Downhill Gradient: -13.2%
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3:00
Slow
2:15
Moderate
1:30
Fast
From the reserve head right on the Queenstown Trail, following the river downstream for a few hundred metres before crossing it on a footbridge.
On the far side continue straight on uphill (Tobins Track) which climbs steadily to meet a gravel farm road. Turn right and follow this for a few hundred metres until you see a stile on your left (signposted Bracken Saddle)
Cross the stile and follow the trail along the fenceline uphill. At the top of the paddock cross another stile and turn left along the water race for a few hundred metres before picking up orange marker poles heading uphill across an open slope. This leads you into a beautiful gorged valley, past a derelict miners cottage (all that remains is the chimney) to a junction at 6.5k. Turn left towards Arrowtown and 300m later turn right again on to another 4WD track marked 'Miners Trail Arrowtown'
There's now a steady climb over the next 1.1k, around a couple of zig-zags to a point where there are orange poles on either side of the track. This is easily missed so keep a sharp eye out for it. Turn right off the farm track on to single track and follow through tussock for the next 1.8k that takes you over the highest point on the run and then descends, sometimes quite steeply, towards the Arrow Valley.
The next junction is an obvious 4WD track - turn right here and follow it downhill for another 1.8k before truning left on the rocky 4WD track that runs above the Arrow River. After another 1.7k you'll come to the footbridge over the river. Here you have the choice of staying in the river bed and crossing the river several times or crossing the bridge and keeping your feet dry. The latter is, I reckon, the more interesting route and is the one that this guide follows.
Cross the bridge and head uphill a short way, then follow the single track above the river all the way back to Arrowtown. There's only one junction along the way - a right fork that takes you to Sawpit Gully - ignore this, staying close to the river. After a while the track starts to follow the pipeline and eventually spits you out on the banks of the river. Cross, turn left following the river as closely as the trail permits and run downstream until you see Wilcox Green again on your right.
The Arrowtown area is full of gold mining history and relics from that era.
If you know of any public toilets near the trail start or on the route, please login and then let us know so we can update this section.
Large reserve with plenty of parking
0 km
1 minutes
Yes
No
Moderate.
Follow the directions in this guide carefully and you should be fine.
Patchy.
Short-sleeved thermal top, Windproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
Take your own.
Can be very hot in summer and very cold in winter - go prepared for the prevailing conditions
Watch out for mountain bikes
Fork & Tap
51 Buckingham St, Arrowtown
http://www.theforkandtap.co.nz
Great selection of craft beers, good food and nice outside seating dining area.
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Miners Trail
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CR
Great run, but the course has changed a bit. Follow the orange markers until 8-8.5km where the old miners cottage is, then follow directions as written.
Excellent backcountry run!
April 9, 2023
One of my fave local tracks. Always good to get this one in late summer after the Motatapu Race after some of the scrub is cleared for race day. Can be done with or without wet feet at the bridge towards the end of the loop.
June 8, 2021
The access to the water race after Tobins track has changed a little. No longer a straight run along a fenceline but the stile is now a little more west and the trail follows a farm road until a right turn over another stile and short stretch along a fence line to the water race further along than before.
Still a cracker of a route and access to so many options too.
March 16, 2021
You know it's steep going down, when you are slower than going up. Was pretty overgrown (Jan 22nd) but still beautiful. I went back through the river which was bliss on my legs and beautifully cooling after a hot run.
January 24, 2020
These overlap with this trail to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate activity for each.
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