Roxburgh Gorge & Clutha Gold Trails
Date: 15 March 2024
Grade: 2, 3
These trails are among my favourite great rides in New Zealand – thank you John K. The Roxburgh Gorge is accessible only via the trail, and for the middle 12 km, only by jet boat. We did the trail from each end last time, so the boat trip was a first, and it is definitely worth doing. Laurence, our driver, zig-zagged down the river showing us old gold workings and miners’ shelters – overhanging rocks with stacked-up schist walls and stone beds. Many more of these troglodyte dwellings are sadly now under water, thanks to the dam downriver.
With fresh snow on the hills above us and a freezing headwind in our faces, the thought of spending winter here chasing a hopeful fortune did not appeal.
Back on our wheels at Shingle Creek; a few nice switchback climbs and drops to finish this trail, then we crossed the Roxburgh Dam to the start of the Clutha Gold Trail, which has a much gentler mood.
We stopped at Cafe 103 in Roxburgh for an Allpress coffee and lunch, thereby avoiding a couple of showers, then carried on down the river another 20 km to a very well equipped ‘basic’ cabin at the excellent Miller’s Flat Holiday Park.
Supplies: Roxburgh
Accommodation: Miller’s Flat Holiday Park
These videos are best viewed on a computer screen. Turning your phone sideways helps.
Max elevation: 249 m
Min elevation: 71 m
Total climbing: 1084 m
Total descent: -1235 m
Total time: 07:35:33
Battery use: 93% | 580Wh My back tyre had been softening and was much flatter than I thought, creating quite a lot of drag.