Last Updated: 20th Feb 2025
Pupu Hydro Run
Last Updated: 20th Feb 2025
Grunt Factor: 8 ?
Gnarl Factor: 22 ?
5.3km
290m
290m
200m
Last Updated: 20th Feb 2025
Last Updated: 20th Feb 2025
Grunt Factor: 8 ?
Gnarl Factor: 22 ?
5.3km
290m
290m
200m
Front country - easily accessible
Loop
Undulating, small hills only
Native bush
Riverside
Gravel Road
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +16.3%
Average Downhill Gradient: -15.1%
VIP Feature: Send this route to your Garmin account so you can follow the course on your Garmin device.
Login as a VIP to see the trailhead information.
0:55
Slow
0:40
Moderate
0:25
Fast
Starting from the car park you run down the track and can either go left or right (being a loop track is doesn't really matter.) Going left takes you up the gravel access road to the water race used for maintenance. This is long but gentle hill and once at the top you will reach the lookout, go down the hill to get to the bridge over the river (halfway).
From here you enter the native bush and run beside the historic water race. The track can become very narrow here at various points (exactly one person wide) but there is a rail next to the track you can hold onto. You'll reach the end of the water race and get to the small power station. Now it's time to go down the zig zag which is the most technical part of the track. There are some very large gouges taken out of the track here and a few rocks/tree roots so if not confident take your time (a good example of semi-technical running). Then it's over a bridge and back to the start of the loop and back to the carpark.
There is an old gold mining water race that you run alongside for the entire top portion of the run. There is also a very small working hydro power station along the track as well. A bridge over the river marks approx the halfway point and there is a lookout along the gravel part of the track at the highest point with a seat where you can look out over the bay.
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.
No public transport, plenty of space for parking private vehicles.
10 km
12 minutes
No
No
Easy.
Unknown.
Short-sleeved thermal top, Windproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Cellphone
There is a river and the water race along the track both with water. Unknown if potable
Will probably get quite muddy after periods of high rainfall.
Trail Legend
Login as a VIP to become a Trail Legend. Learn about Trail Legends.
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Pupu Hydro Run
As a VIP member you can record private notes for this trail, see all of your times and more.
Already have an account? Login now
Loved this wee trail run. Ran it in reverse up the zig zag, which looked very recently renovated compared to the trail description. It was perfectly smooth hard packed gravel the whole way apart from the board walk so could easily be run in road shoes in a dry day. Beautifully shaded too for a mid afternoon summer's day run.
February 20
174m total ascent not 290m. Great loop for running either way and multiple laps.
December 24, 2023
Did it opposite direction to described as it had been raining a lot recently and thought easier to slip up hill than downhill! Overall thought this was a good direction to do it. The water race was heaps of fun and nice big gravel section for second half
May 29, 2023
Beautiful fun trail. Was raining for my run today so I was pretty tentative.
January 26, 2022
Send to your phone
Scan the below QR code to open this trail on your phone.
Tip: position the QR code in your phone camera screen.
