Tucked into the Coromandel Ranges, this old telegraph track threads through rugged native bush, crossing several streams and passing the odd remnant of the area's gold-mining days. Maratoto Road, better known as Wires Road, got its name from the early telegraph lines that once ran through here.

The route mixes rocky climbs, clay sections and a few technical obstacles, which is why it pulls in four-wheel drivers, dirt bikers and mountain bikers alike. It ranges from fairly easy-going to genuinely challenging, with one committing rocky section and a few gnarly bog holes. Easy bypass lines run alongside the harder bits, so you can pick your own. When it's dry it's achievable in a stock wagon, but the clay and rock turn very slippery in the wet, so a winch and recovery gear are wise back-up.

Air down and take it slow. There's room to camp a few trucks at the top, and the views are worth the climb. Bring $10 cash for the donation that helps keep the track open and maintained.

It closes for winter, and opens or shuts with the weather too, so check the Facebook group before heading out.