Much of the route is a
rail trail, using the
trackbed of the former
Opua and
Ōkaihau Branch railways. The central point is Kaikohe, from where the trail descends to the twin coasts, east and west. The Ōkaihau to Horeke section is grade 2-3. Most of the trail is off road grade 1-2 (easiest-easy), with some quiet country roads and a short section on
State Highway 1, through the centre of
Kawakawa. The western entrance at Baffin St, Opua is from the train section at
Te Akeake, where a train runs to
Taumarere, from Kawakawa. When the train isn't running there is a temporary alternative route (see below). The trail runs beside the railway from Kawakawa to Taumarere. Dogs, horses and motor vehicles are banned from some of the trail. The trail is described as 4 sections -
Opua-Kawakawa Opua-
Kawakawa () is Grade 1 easiest, with marina,
mangrove, estuary river crossings, Taumarere station toilet and picnic spot and
Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa. The cycle trail starts at the end of Baffin Street, Opua. Kawakawa has cafés, supermarket, museum, art gallery, craft and gift shops. BoIVR and FNDC cleared weeds and improved
Whangae Tunnel overpass, so that on 26 December 2022 the Te Akeake-Opua section was reopened for cyclists and walkers, but Te Akeake-Taumarere was restricted to travel for a gold coin on the infrequent BoIVR trains. a cycle trail between Opua and Taumarere, via Oromāhoe and Whangae roads. It involves hill climbing, is more than twice as long as the railway route and all on roads. FNDC temporarily withdrew from NAX and arranged for bikes to go on trains from Kawakawa to Opua when BoIVR is complete.
Kawakawa-Kaikohe Kawakawa-
Kaikohe () is Grade 1-2, with a on-road detour between Kawakawa and Kaikohe, twin
suspension bridges at Tuhipa, Orauta Stream, cycling through farmland,
Kaikohe Aerodrome and the Hundertwasser toilets. Leaving Kawakawa from just behind the railway station, the trail passes the back of Moerewa, where there is a disused wood mill, industrial areas, a public toilet, bakery, small supermarket, butchery and takeaway. The next of the trail is a gradual climb to Kaikohe, passing the northernmost operational point of the railway at Otiria, waterfalls, Kaikohe Aerodrome (a long grass strip, built in 1942 as a US Marines bomber base) and Kaikohe Pioneer Village, ( off the trail, with a 5 acre outdoor museum). Ngapipito Road, between Otiria and Kaikohe, has an on road section for about before re-joining the formed trail.
Kaikohe-Ōkaihau Kaikohe-
Ōkaihau () is Grade 1-2. Kaikohe is approximately the middle of the cycle trail and passes
Lake Ōmāpere. A long curved tunnel, built in 1915, is at the summit of the trail, with views of
Hokianga Harbour sand dunes and
Mount Hikurangi. A
ford close to Ōkaihau can be cycled through, or there is a bridge. Kaikohe has cafés and supermarkets and Ōkaihau a café, takeaways and a supermarket.
Ōkaihau-Horeke Ōkaihau-
Horeke () is Grade 2 – 3 easy-intermediate and ends at the 1838
Māngungu Mission Station. On the Settlers Way/Horeke Road section there are views of Puketi Forest through the valley of the
Utakura River, a picnic spot (with toilet, tables, old tractors, roosters and chickens), Lily Pond beside the trail, churches, bush and war memorial gates. The trail shares Horeke Road for about . From the old Horeke Fire Station the trail shares the road for about to the end. Horeke is a small town. There is accommodation in
Kohukohu and
Rawene. A passenger and cycle ferry runs across Hokianga Harbour, between Horeke, Kohukohu (4km) and Rawene around midday on Tuesdays. == History ==