Welcome to Waikato River Trails
28/08/2026: ARAPUNI DAM CLOSURE – IMPORTANT TRAIL UPDATE
From 9am Tuesday, 1 September 2026, Arapuni Road across Arapuni Dam will close for approximately 24–36 months while repair and enhancement works are carried out by Mercury.
This closure will affect trail users travelling between Arapuni and Waipapa Dam.
🚫 The Powerhouse Road detour is for vehicles only – trail users cannot walk or cycle along this detour.
This means trail users travelling between Arapuni and Waipapa Dam will need vehicle support to travel around the closure.
If you are planning to ride or walk this section of the Waikato River Trails, please plan ahead and make arrangements for transport around the closure before starting your journey.
We will have signage in place at trail entry points to help ensure trail users are aware of the closure.
A new section of trail has been constructed by Mercury to allow trail users travelling between the Arapuni Swingbridge and Jones Landing to access around the worksite. This route is well signposted and is open from 1 September.
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12/08/2026: The Arapuni section of trail from Waipapa Dam to the Mangarewa Bridge is still CLOSED due to significant slips and pieces of trail missing throughout this section and will remain closed until further notice.
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The five Waikato River Trails
The Waikato River Trails are divided into five sections across a range of terrain from gently undulating trails to some that are steeper, rugged and more adventurous. The trails are are graded from 3 (Intermediate) to 4 (Advanced) and while they are mostly wide and smooth, some are trickier single-track trails (particularly on the Waipapa section) – a mountain bike is recommended.
Looking for a way to get around the Arapuni Dam closure?
Riverside Adventures - Waikato is available to help you plan your ride and navigate the current Trail access and detours.
Give them a call on 0800 287 448 and they will help you out 😀
#trailupdate"The dam is closed!"
"Google says there's a road section!"
"Can we actually ride through there?"
"Where should we start?"
"How far can the kids manage?"
"Where do we leave the car?"
STOP. 😂
Before you abandon the whole idea...
Phone us - We've been here since the Waikato River Trails opened.
We've seen closures, detours, weather, road sections, have pushed the kids to the limits and just about everything else the trail can throw at you.
And quite often the answer is simply: "Yep. No problem. Here's what we'd do..."
Sometimes Google isn't the local trail expert - We are. 😉
Planning a ride? Ask us your trail question below. 👇
For Trail users heading from the Arapuni Swingbridge to Jones Landing, Mercury has constructed new Trail to allow access around the worksite for the Arapuni Dam remedial work. The route is well sign posted and will be open from Tuesday, 1st September.
#trailupdate Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand
𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗨𝗡𝗜 𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘 – 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘
From 9am Tuesday, 1 September 2026, the road across the Arapuni Dam will close for approximately 24–36 months while repair and enhancement works are carried out by Mercury.
This closure will affect trail users travelling between Arapuni and Waipapa Dam.
🚫 Please note that the Powerhouse Road detour is for vehicles only – trail users cannot walk or cycle along this detour.
This means trail users travelling between Arapuni and Waipapa Dam will need vehicle support to travel around the closure.
If you are planning to ride or walk this section of the Waikato River Trails, please plan ahead and make arrangements for transport around the closure before starting your journey.
We will have signage in place at trail entry points to help ensure trail users are aware of the closure.
Please share this information with anyone planning to use the trail.
#news #trailupdate Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand🚧From 9am on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, Arapuni Road across Arapuni Dam will close for approximately 24–36 months while Mercury carries out major repair work on the dam.
We know this closure will have an impact on people travelling through the area, so please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the alternative routes and plan ahead where possible 🙌
A temporary detour via Powerhouse Road will be available for light vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, school buses, emergency services and rigid trucks up to 8 metres.
Please allow a little extra time for your journey and take care when travelling through the detour.
More information, including the detour and vehicle restrictions, is available on our website via the link in the comments 👇
𝟮𝟭/𝟬𝟴/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 – 𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗜 / 𝗢𝗛𝗔𝗞𝗨𝗥𝗜 𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗗
We’ve been advised that works will be taking place on land adjacent to the Waikato River Trails near Ohakuri Road, Atiamuri from Friday 21 August through to Wednesday 26 August, if not sooner.
The trail will remain open during this time.
What to expect:
• Friday 21 August – a digger will be operating along the farm boundary adjacent to the trail.
• Monday 24 August onwards – mowing operations will take place along the road from Ohakuri Road to the farm.
• Signage will be in place, with pilot vehicles used where required.
The contractor has advised that disruption should be minimal and operations will pause to allow cyclists and other trail users to pass safely.
Please take care and follow any on-site signage when travelling through this section.
#trailupdate
The Powerhouse Road Safety Improvement Project is finished. The new Trail and boardwalk will provide a much safer experience for cyclists and walkers using the Karapiro section of the Trail.
Cyclists are now using the new route. There is a 6m piece of sight rail to install and moving a few signs to finish. A great outcome, thanks to Iwi, Mercury, South Waikato District Council and contractor Keir Projects limited.
#trailupdate Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand
Great news! AAA Trees have now cleared the fallen tree from the Whakamaru Section, and access to the trail has been restored.
A big thank you to AAA Trees for their prompt work, and to everyone who reported the fallen tree and provided detailed location information. Your assistance helped us respond quickly and get the trail reopened as soon as possible.
#trailupdate
