Gravel Road
Easy
9.2km Return
53m Elevation
Following the railway south from Oaro, this easy grade ride beside the railway is ideal for the whole family and gets you close to the ocean and some notable remnants from our past.
There isn’t much space for the rail line on the Kaikōura coast and south of Oaro it’s squeezed in between the ocean and the impressive limestone Haumuri Bluffs.
Park at the layby just north of the Oaro bridge, push your bike along the beach to the front of Oaro village, and you’ll find the gravel road that follows the rail until it disappears into a tunnel under the Bluffs 4.5 km down the coast.
There’s plenty to look at along the way. The Hamuri Bluffs were an important fossil-collecting site in the 19th century and there are loads of fossil filled stones lying around. Railroad wreckage lies amongst the boulders on the seawall and you will almost always see New Zealand fur seals. If you’re lucky, you’ll see dusky dolphins playing in the water off the coast. When the tide is out, there are lots of places to explore amongst the rocks, and on a hot summer day, you should be able to find a sheltered spot to take a dip.
Trail Status & Alerts
CAUTION – Road has been washed out and is narrow at 3.5km
Please report any trail problems at the Contact Form
Download Haumuri Bluffs Map.
PDF map download.
- Limestone Haumuri bluffs
- Minerals and fossils can be found along the beach
- Railway wreckage on the seawall
- Marine wildlife can sometimes be spotted
- Surface - Shingle. A push across the beach from carpark
- Do not enter by Oaro village, access and parking is very tight through the village
- Oaro stream crossing can get flooded
- Be aware of trains at crossings and when on sections close to rail
- No food or water on the trail
