905:
350:, it drained Summit Tunnel and cleared the Cross Creek yard and incline formation. A proposal mooted in the mid 1980s for a walkway between Cross Creek and Kaitoke culminated in the opening of the Rimutaka Rail Trail on 1 November 1987, a joint project between the Wellington Regional Council and the Department of Conservation. Shelter sheds were constructed at Cross Creek and Summit, and several picnic areas along the route. A retaining wall and culverts were installed near the entrance to Price's Tunnel in 2009 by the Department of Conservation to remedy a slip that occurred the previous year.
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assumed ownership of the railway corridor land on the
Wellington side of the Remutaka Ranges following closure of the railway line in 1955. They retained the railway bridges so as to maintain vehicular access to the area for forestry purposes. Trees were planted by forestry staff around the summit
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The plan meant laying of new track would occur in the future. The trust has worked on stage one of their plan, which involves the development of facilities at
Maymorn. Later stages include the development of alternative facilities for current users of the rail trail prior to the laying of track.
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Though this 4.25-kilometre (2.64 mi) section can be walked or cycled from either end, access is easiest from the
Maymorn end of the trail. At the end of Plateau Road is a car park for recreational users of the Tunnel Gully reserve, from which access can be gained to the rail trail. At the
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The trail is a popular regional recreation facility and is used by more than 30,000 walkers, runners, and cyclists annually. It is part of a network of walking and cycling trails in public parks and reserves in the area. Several forestry roads diverge from the rail trail and are also used for
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portal. From the
Kaitoke end, access to the rail trail can be gained either from one of several forestry roads which join up with the Kaitoke ā Cross Creek section of the trail, or from a forestry road that connects with Kaitoke Loop Road about
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km along which is a car park. On the
Wairarapa side there is a turn-off to the Cross Creek car park from Western Lake Road, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south-west of Featherston. From the Cross Creek car park it is a
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put forward a proposal to reinstate the railway line over the
Remutaka Range. It was withdrawn in February 2012. The proposal was to incorporate all of the former railway formation that currently comprises the rail trail.
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end to a car park, go-kart track and gun range. Access is also granted by permission to horse riders. Touring coaches have been used upon occasion to convey tourists and other visitors to various parts of the route.
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to Petone. In 2019/20 Remutaka was the third most popular of the 22 Great Rides then in use, with 218,770 cycle and walking trips, though only 1,976 completing the whole Ride, as it "lacks sufficient infrastructure".
533:, built after it was decided to dieselise the line instead of electrifying it as originally planned, and it was found that there was insufficient natural ventilation to operate diesel locomotives through the tunnel
328:. All railway-related structures were removed from Cross Creek and Summit in the years following closure of the line. The Cross Creek yard and incline section were gradually reclaimed by nature. The Siberia
277:. Parts of the trail are also used by vehicles both from the regional council and from forestry companies with tree plantations in the area; members of the public have limited vehicular access from the
358:
The Cross Creek to Summit section is managed by the
Department of Conservation, Summit to Maymorn by the Greater Wellington Regional Council. After Kaitoke the trail runs through Tunnel Gully Reserve.
34:
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yard and along the route from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Access was restricted, and it was rare for anyone to be granted permission to enter the area for recreation.
688:
to
Maymorn. The next 25 km (16 mi) uses the Rail Trail to reach Cross Creek. Another 42.5 km (26.4 mi) of the Ride is then on Western Lake Road, passing
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This 18-kilometre (11 mi) section can be accessed from either end. At
Kaitoke there are signposted directions along Incline Rd off SH 2 to the start of the formation,
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helped spur interest in the
Incline, prompting the Forest Service to provide permanent access to Cross Creek in 1984. In order to facilitate recreational use of the
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hour walk to the Cross Creek station yard. About six hours should be allowed to traverse the entire distance between Cross Creek and Kaitoke.
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708:, a few short sections of the track cannot be cycled. From Årongorongo it is 30 km (19 mi) back to Petone. A road runs via
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collapsed during a severe storm in 1967 after its drainage became blocked. A similar problem caused the Summit tunnel to flood.
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Track may be metalled or unmetalled. It is clearly marked and well formed but usually involves some inclines.
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If traversing the entire length of the rail trail, a trip can be timed to start at Cross Creek and meet a
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to the end of the Ride at Årongorongo. Due to soft sand near the beach and rough rocks over stream
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999:. in association with Frances Ross and the Department of Conservation. GP Books. pp. 65ā67.
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and car park, is an access road which joins with the rail trail on the hillside above the
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The following parking facilities are near the Maymorn end of this section of the trail:
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980:. Wellington: New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society. p. 101.
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261:, and follows 22 kilometres (14 mi) of the original route of the
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1240:"Evaluation of New Zealand Cycle Trail ā Counter Data Analysis, 2020"
976:
Cameron, Norman; Jupp, Graeme (2006) . "From Railway to Rail Trail".
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Cross Creek station yard, shelter shed, and beginning of the Incline.
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at Ocean Beach. A rough farm track runs 18 km (11 mi) via
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in a loop. The first 35 km (22 mi) of the Ride follows
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1096:. Wellington: Greater Wellington Regional Council. 29 March 2018
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The following car parks are available for users of the trail:
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Cutting and southern approach to Summit yard from the tunnel
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Points of interest along this section of the route include:
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1037:. Wellington: Grantham House Publishing. pp. 25, 26.
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There are no car parking facilities at the Kaitoke end.
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intersection of Maymorn Road and Parkes Line Road, near
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Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand plaque
324:
The Incline section became the responsibility of the
245:
prior to 2017) is a walking and cycling track in the
1288:
Hiking and tramping tracks in the Wellington Region
1035:New Zealand Rail Trails: A Guide to 42 Ghost Lines
1279:
472:Points of interest along this section include:
318:Wellington City and Suburban Water Supply Board
778:Horseshoe Gully and Siberia embankment washout
742:Foundations of the Cross Creek locomotive shed
668:from the farm track section of the Great Ride
488:, 98 metres (322 ft) long on an S-curve
1215:"1940 Coast Road to Petone Settlers Museum"
975:
802:Bridge and southern portal of Summit Tunnel
656:Great Ride (Petone-Cross Creek-Årongorongo)
545:, the footbridge here was installed in 2003
1165:"Happy trails for Rimutaka's 'great ride'"
680:via Maymorn, Cross Creek, Ocean Beach and
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1116:"Popular Wairarapa tracks being improved"
1298:Protected areas of the Wellington Region
1032:
1018:. Auckland: Reed Books. pp. 45ā50.
672:In 2013 the Rail Trail became part of a
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1268:. Greater Wellington Regional Council.
1262:. Greater Wellington Regional Council.
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645:Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust
639:Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust
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1162:
1142:"Rimutaka Incline train dream on hold"
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1194:NgÄ Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails
1065:Gavalas, Marios (2006). "Rimutakas".
1014:Gavalas, Marios (2006). "Rimutakas".
1069:. Auckland: Reed Books. p. 45.
549:
494:, the site of the Siberia embankment
269:between the Mangaroa Valley and the
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1163:FORBES, MICHAEL (24 October 2013).
997:A Guide To The Rimutaka Forest Park
964:Summit railway station, New Zealand
874:Locomotive remnants in Summit yards
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1122:. Fairfax New Zealand. 21 May 2009
664:Fisherman's Rock and the coast to
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1253:
1190:"Remutaka Cycle Trail Great Ride"
766:Northern portal of Price's Tunnel
754:Southern portal of Price's Tunnel
531:Rimutaka Tunnel ventilation shaft
506:, 584 metres (1,916 ft) long
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898:Northern approach to Summit yard
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995:Sewell, Bill (1989). "Tracks".
500:, 108 metres (354 ft) long
1274:. Department of Conservation.
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339:in 1976 and establishment of
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934:Cross Creek railway station
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481:Cross Creek railway station
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1293:Rail trails in New Zealand
1067:Day Walks Of The Wairarapa
1033:Mulligan, Barbara (2000).
1016:Day Walks Of The Wairarapa
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600:41.1040944Ā°S 175.1537306Ā°E
574:km west of Station Drive.
457:41.0853944Ā°S 175.1845000Ā°E
424:41.1682194Ā°S 175.2366444Ā°E
365:train at Maymorn station.
326:New Zealand Forest Service
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223:1,141 ft (348 m)
1144:. Stuff. 14 February 2012
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298:Cross Creek turntable pit
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605:-41.1040944; 175.1537306
462:-41.0853944; 175.1845000
429:-41.1682194; 175.2366444
42:help improve the article
949:Maymorn railway station
939:Kaitoke railway station
614:Maymorn railway station
557:Maymorn railway station
519:Ladle Bend Creek bridge
354:Management of the trail
286:recreational purposes.
109:Wellington, New Zealand
92:22 km (14 mi)
48:or move the content to
886:Ash pit in Summit yard
669:
514:Summit railway station
299:
1094:"Rimutaka Rail Trail"
663:
543:Munitions Bend bridge
369:Cross Creek ā Kaitoke
297:
363:Wairarapa Connection
186:41.1077Ā°S 175.1375Ā°E
148:41.1678Ā°S 175.2369Ā°E
1272:Remutaka Rail Trail
1260:Remutaka Rail Trail
944:List of rail trails
850:Summit shelter shed
596: /
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420: /
335:The publication of
253:. It runs between
243:Rimutaka Rail Trail
239:Remutaka Rail Trail
182: /
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72:Remutaka Rail Trail
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344:Fell Engine Museum
312:Fell Engine Museum
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191:-41.1077; 175.1375
153:-41.1678; 175.2369
46:encyclopedic style
44:by introducing an
33:is written like a
1303:PÄkuratahi Forest
1044:978-1-86934-126-8
628:, 152 metres long
550:Kaitoke ā Maymorn
537:Pakuratahi Tunnel
525:Pakuratahi bridge
337:A Line Of Railway
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415:175Ā°14ā²11.92ā³E
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1222:. Retrieved
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1197:. Retrieved
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1172:. Retrieved
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1098:. Retrieved
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643:In 2011 the
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247:North Island
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214:Horse riding
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35:travel guide
32:
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1219:Google maps
838:Summit yard
714:Baring Head
710:Wainuiomata
696:, to reach
682:Årongorongo
603: /
510:Summit yard
460: /
445:41Ā°5ā²7.42ā³S
427: /
259:Cross Creek
251:New Zealand
189: /
177:175Ā°08ā²15ā³E
151: /
139:175Ā°14ā²13ā³E
120:Cross Creek
1282:Categories
1148:28 October
970:References
722:Eastbourne
674:Great Ride
330:embankment
302:See also:
228:Difficulty
174:41Ā°06ā²28ā³S
136:41Ā°10ā²04ā³S
116:Trailheads
50:Wikivoyage
1224:4 January
1199:4 January
1174:4 January
1100:22 August
1053:Footnotes
718:Pencarrow
438:Kaitoke:
348:formation
271:Wairarapa
265:over the
241:(spelled
58:June 2009
928:See also
97:Location
729:Gallery
569:⁄
393:⁄
382:⁄
290:History
279:Kaitoke
255:Maymorn
231:Grade 2
206:Cycling
164:Maymorn
125:Kaitoke
40:Please
1126:21 May
1073:
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984:
678:Petone
633:Future
310:, and
210:Hiking
106:
89:Length
1169:Stuff
694:Ånoke
1244:MBIE
1226:2024
1201:2024
1176:2024
1150:2021
1128:2009
1102:2018
1071:ISBN
1039:ISBN
1020:ISBN
1001:ISBN
982:ISBN
720:and
706:fans
692:and
316:The
257:and
237:The
249:of
202:Use
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