Tracks and Rides
 Bottle Lake Forest
Start: The main entrance is offWaitikiri Drive, off Burwood Road. There is also access from Spencer Park and from Bower Ave.
Difficulty: Easy – moderate
Distance: From each access point there are many options for round trips that range from gentle 30 minute rides to 20 km+ trips that take 2 hours or more.
Ride Description: Bottle Lake Forest Park offers a great range of long and short mountain bike tracks suitable all ages and levels of fitness. The mountain bike tracks wind through the 1000-hectare pine forest. The terrain is largely flat but nearer the coast planted sand hills provide some challenge, so make sure you’ve got your gears working properly. None of the hills are very big so if you can’t quite make it to the top it is a short walk up and then great fun riding down the other side.
Other Ride Options:
Coastal Ride to Spencer Park
A 10 km return ride, either start at Bower Ave or from Spencer Park. At Spencer Park there is a fantastic children’s adventure playground, mini golf, toilets and a shop for an ice cream.
Family Short Ride
Start at the Waitikiri Dr car park and follow the mountain bike trailon an easy 20 minute ride to a lake near the junction of Hotel Road and 20th Avenue. This is a good spot for lunch or a snack. Native trees have been planted around the lake and there is a picnic area.
 Hints and Tips:
- Some of the tracks are shared with horses and walkers/runners so you need to keep your speed down. Remember, cyclists give way to all other track users.
- Apart from the sound of the sea, there are few features to orient yourself with, so the forest can be a bit of a maze. If you need to find your way back to the car park remember the north-south forestry roads are named alphabetically Apple, Bravo, Charlie etc across to the beach. The east-west avenues are numbered sequentially, starting from 10th by Spencer Park to the 28th by Parklands. Most junctions are signposted.
- There is no drinking water in the forest and it can be hot, even under the trees, so take a water bottle, sun block and something to eat to keep your energy levels up.
- Fire is a constant threat so lighting fires is forbidden. If you see smoke or fire anywhere in the park phone 111 immediately.
- At Waitikiri Drive there are toilets tucked away in the car park and an information centre with interpretive displays that explain the history of the area and the animals that live there.
- There is also a hose for washing down your bike and yourself if necessary.
- If you still have energy to spare after the ride, there is a BMX-style track right next to the car park.
- Dogs are allowed in the forest but take some plastic bags so you can clean up after them.
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