Bikers ford the Fox River: The West Coast is looking for $60 million to build a new trail. Photo / Getty Images
Bikers ford the Fox River: The West Coast is looking for $60 million to build a new trail. Photo / Getty Images
An ambitious $60 million cycle trail has passed the first hurdle on the way to joining Ōkārito to the Fox Glacier.
West Coast tourism authorities have released their findings in the form of a feasibility report into a four-day cycling trail linking "Glacier Country" communities.
Beginning at the scenic Ōkārito lagoon, the route would take cyclists to the face of the Franz Josef Glacier, out to the Gillespies Beach and back to the Fox Glacier township.
If given the green light, the trail could attract 26,000 bikers and an additional 12,000 hikers per year.
Contractors TRC Tourism expanded on plans for a "Glacier Trail" after an initial consultation with the Department of Conservation (Doc) and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio earlier this year.
The overall building cost, including route construction, "Great Walk"-style accommodation and bridges was estimated at $57.207 million.
With a proposed cycling length of 154km, the trail would aim to be a part of the Ngā Haerenga Great Trails network.
"The Glacier Trail – capturing the very best of the West Coast - will be recognised as one of the world's great trail experiences and considered a must-do for New Zealanders and visitors," the TRC's executive statement read.
The proposed four-day cycle route from Okarito to Fox Glacier. Photo / Supplied; TRC
In May the Great Rides network accepted the first new tracks in more than a decade.
The Lake Dunstan Trail and Forest Loop Trail were added to maps, growing the number of trails to 23. A survey by MBIE into cycle tourism found that "trail users brought an estimated direct economic contribution to regions of more than $950 million," between 2020 and 2021.
With the Glacier Country's tourism business suffering the absence of overseas tourists, long-distance or day bike trails have been seen as an ideal solution to bringing more domestic and short-haul tourists into the area.
Domestic and Australian mountain bikers will be the key demographics the trail hopes to attract.
"Whilst the economic assessment model might not show a net financial gain at the regional level, this should be balanced with the non-economic benefits," the TRC reported.
There were some "high-risk areas prone to damage" identified in the report. This includes the Omoeroa and Waikukupa rivers and some bridges at risk of flood damage.
DWC economic development manager Jo Birnie said the report would be the blueprint for potential partners to evaluate the feasibility of a proposed Glacier Country Trail.
Key stakeholders include DoC, regarding the parkland through which the trail will pass, and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, as the legal body representing hapū holding mana whenua for the region.
"We will be working with the partners and stakeholders to work through the outcomes of the study which are contained within the report," Birnie said.
The proposed route would be open to hikers wishing to tramp between Franz Josef and Fox glaciers. Photo / Development West Coast
Pedal power and e-bike concessions
Over the past decade, a number of mountain bike trails have been established in the West Coast.
In 2013 the Old Ghost Road was launched to carry around 12,500 annual riders a year.
In 2019 the Paparoa Track opened as the first purpose-built DoC Great Walk trail, allowing year-round mountain biking.
However, DoC has not granted the use of e-bikes in their National Park Management Plans.
Though the number of cyclists throwing themselves around the bends of the Paparoa would suggest this is a difficult policy to enforce, e-bike concessions may not be readily granted for the trail.
A section of the feasibility study is focused on the growing appeal of powered bikes and their potential to open up the West Coast to more riders.
The proposed Glacier Trail proposes that most visitors would opt for pedal assist - with "longer distances traversed each day on a grade 2 cycling trail generally using an e-bike".
A spokesperson for Development West Coast said visitor numbers in the feasibility study are based on regular bikes. There is still a strong case for a new multi-day trail, whether it was open to e-bikes or not.
The next steps would be to secure the necessary funding and for DoC's West Coast Conservation Management Strategy to be updated.
This could take anywhere between three to five years before breaking ground, although the current West Coast Conservation Management Strategy 2010-2020 is currently overdue.
