4WD Tracks in Manawatu-Whanganui

Bulls to Turakina

Bulls to Turakina is a soft, scenic beach run up the Manawatu-Whanganui coast, tide-dependent with creek crossings and a tricky exit near Scott's Ferry.

Cape Turnagain

Cape Turnagain is a remote eastern Manawatu-Whanganui beach run along open sand below the dunes, a low-tide trip with coastal history.

Castle Cliff Beach

Castle Cliff Beach is a low-tide black-sand drive at the mouth of the Whanganui River, with coastal cliffs to the north and deep soft holes to watch for.

Coonoor Road

Coonoor Road is an easy gravel route through native bush in Manawatu-Whanganui, handy for linking backcountry roads and skipping seal on a longer loop.

Cuff Road

Cuff Road is a short, scenic gravel route through Manawatu-Whanganui hill country, easy going for most vehicles but ending at a locked gate.

Eura Forest

Eura Forest is a short Manawatu-Whanganui bush track with a few bog holes early on, then a tight, leafy run through the trees.

Eura Road

Eura Road is a short, twisty gravel run through Manawatu-Whanganui hill country with pleasant rural views, ending at a locked gate.

Eura Side Route

Eura Side Route is a short no-through spur in Manawatu-Whanganui, handy as a quick detour or rest stop rather than a way through.

Finnis Road

Finnis Road is a short gravel climb over the Manawatu-Whanganui hill country, a handy connector with open farmland views from the top.

Foxton Beach

Foxton Beach is an easy West Coast sand cruise in Manawatu-Whanganui

Fury Road

Fury Road is a short formed-gravel climb through a Manawatu-Whanganui forestry block, an easy add-on rather than a full day out.

Himatangi Beach

Himatangi Beach is a wide, clean Manawatu beach run with room for quads, bikes and fishing, plus tight dune routes at the northern point.

Hokio Beach South

Hokio Beach South is an easy Manawatu-Whanganui beach run near Levin, with flat open sand, west coast surf, and dunes to play in.

Kaiwhata Road (to Riversdale Beach)

Kaiwhata Road is an easy Wairarapa hill country gravel route to Riversdale Beach, with rolling farmland views and a coastal lookout, fine for capable 2WDs.

Kauarapaoa Extension

Kauarapaoa Extension is an easy graded-gravel run through remote Manawatu-Whanganui hill country, with sweeping farmland views and very little traffic.

Kauarapaoa Road

Kauarapaoa Road is a scenic gravel run out the back of Whanganui through native bush and farmland, with good views, deer and easy driving.

Ketemaringi Road

Ketemaringi Road is a short bush drive in Manawatu-Whanganui that connects through native forest to the start of the Ketemaringi Route.

Mangahao Power Station

Mangahao Power Station is a well-formed gravel road through the Tararuas, passing historic hydro dams with bush views and an easy run for most vehicles.

Mangahao River Access

Mangahao River Access is a short, gentle gravel route down through native bush to the Mangahao River, easy enough for most rigs.

Mangahao Side Track

Mangahao Side Track is a short, technical detour up the Mangahao way, easy in the dry but a good deal harder once the rutted, boggy surface gets wet.

Meremere Road

Meremere Road is a scenic clay-and-gravel hill track above Patea Dam in Manawatu-Whanganui, easy to medium when dry but a hard, slippery run in the wet.

Middle Road

Middle Road is an easy seal and gravel connector through the Whanganui backcountry, handy for linking up other tracks on a longer day out.

Murumuru Road

Murumuru Road is a remote gravel run through Manawatu-Whanganui hill country, climbing from sheltered bush to wide open tops with distant mountain views.

Murumuru Track

Murumuru Track is a short clay climb in the Manawatu-Whanganui hills, with a slippery lower section and open hill-country views from up top.

North Range Road

North Range Road is a popular Manawatu ridge track with mud, ruts, deep bog holes and 360-degree coast-to-coast views, easy when dry and very hard wet.

Okaka Road

Okaka Road is a short gravel link in the Turakina Valley, joining Turakina Valley Road with Pohonui Road through rolling backcountry farmland.

Okauaka Road

Okauaka Road is an easy native bush drive up Whanganui way, shared with cyclists and suited to most 4WDs after a relaxed scenic run.

Oroua River Access

Oroua River Access is a short, easy 4WD track in Manawatu-Whanganui that drops quickly to the riverbank, good for fishing or a picnic.

Owahanga Road

Owahanga Road in Manawatu-Whanganui is a short, easygoing gravel run beside the Aohanga River through quiet farmland and hill country.

Patea Dam

Patea Dam in Manawatu-Whanganui is an easy sealed and gravel drive to a power station and Lake Rotorangi, with a small free campsite at the end.

Pikiariki Road

Pikiariki Road is a historic forestry road through native bush in northern Pureora Forest Park, a handy link route into the park's quieter corners.

Piropiro Road

Piropiro Road is an easygoing native forest drive in the Manawatu-Whanganui high country, shared with Timber Trail cyclists and good for a relaxed run.

Plains Road

Plains Road is a short gravel forestry run through plantation up Manawatu-Whanganui way, an easy shaded detour suited to most capable vehicles.

Pohonui Road

Pohonui Road is an easygoing Manawatu-Whanganui gravel route through rolling farmland and bush-clad hills, an alternative to Turakina Valley Road.

Porangahau Beach

Porangahau Beach is a short, easy golden-sand coastal drive in Manawatu-Whanganui with open ocean views, good for a relaxed cruise on the right tide.

Pukehinau Road

Pukehinau Road is a short bush track near Pokaka Mill in Manawatu-Whanganui, rough dry gravel with ruts and a scratchy overgrown end section.

Quarry

Quarry is a short, easy detour in Manawatu-Whanganui into a sheltered disused quarry, a discreet no-frills spot to pull off and overnight.

Rangitikei River Access (North)

Rangitikei River Access (North) is a short drop off SH1 to braided shingle flats, with little tracks branching across the gravel for a riverside play.

Rangitikei River Access (South)

Rangitikei River Access (South) is a short run off SH1.

Ranigwahia Hut Access

Ranigwahia Hut Access is a gravel climb up the Manawatu-Whanganui hills to big Central Plateau views, with snow in winter and a walk to the hut.

Ridge Road

Ridge Road is a 32km gravel run along the Manawatu-Whanganui hill tops, with sweeping valley views and an easygoing touring character.

Ruatiti Road

Ruatiti Road is a remote gravel farm road up the Whanganui back country, a quiet unsealed drive through rolling high country pasture.

South Beach

South Beach is a popular black-sand beach run south of Whanganui with impressive dunes, soft sand, and good fishing, suited to capable beach-ready vehicles.

Takapari Road

Takapari Road climbs to around 1400m in the Ruahine Ranges, one of NZ's highest public roads, with a winch wall low down and huge views up top.

Tinui to Alfredton

Tinui to Alfredton is a part-sealed, part-gravel back road through the eastern Wairarapa hills, an easy 2WD-friendly run past farmland and logged forest.

Totara Stream

Totara Stream is a short, easygoing native bush run in Manawatu-Whanganui that links through to the start of the longer Ketemaringi Route.

Tukino Ski Field

Tukino Ski Field road climbs the eastern flank of Mt Ruapehu through rocky, Mars-like country, an easy but scenic 4WD drive up an active volcano.

Turakina Valley Road

Turakina Valley Road is an easy seal-and-gravel back road up the Whanganui way, following the river from the coast to Tangiwai with waterfalls and mountain views.

Waiinu Beach

Waiinu Beach is a black sand beach run in Manawatu-Whanganui, an easy coastal drive with rocky heads, ocean views and tides to watch.

Waikakahi Road

Waikakahi Road is an easy Manawatu-Whanganui gravel detour following the Waikakahi stream through farmland, suited to most vehicles in the dry.

Waitaramoa Road

Waitaramoa Road is an easy ManawatuWhanganui gravel run that links into Ngaroma 4WD Park and wilder country, with gentler routes branching off too.

Waitarere Beach/Hydrabad Shipwreck

Waitarere Beach in Manawatu-Whanganui is an easy sand run out to the 1878 Hydrabad shipwreck, gentle enough for a 2WD on a good day.

Waitarere to Manawatu River

Waitarere to Manawatu River is a soft sand beach run up the Manawatu-Whanganui coast with Tasman views, suited to tide-aware 4WDs comfortable in soft sand.

Watershed Road

Watershed Road is a quiet gravel alternative to State Highway 1 through Manawatu-Whanganui hill country, with open rural views and easy driving.

Whangaehu Valley

Whangaehu Valley is an easygoing Manawatu-Whanganui gravel drive that follows the river through rolling hill country up toward the Central Plateau.

Wharite Peak

Wharite Peak is an easy well-formed gravel climb up Manawatu way, with radio towers near the top and coast-to-coast views over Palmerston North and Woodville.

Zigzag Road

Zigzag Road is an easy gravel climb up through Manawatu-Whanganui hill country, switchbacking to big views and links onto other routes at the top.