• Brook Macdonald - MS Mondraker (also sponsored by Red Bull)
  • 2011 world ranking # 6
  • 2009 UCI World Junior DH Champion
  • 2012 NZ Mountainbike Cup Champion
• George Brannigan - Devinci Global Racing 
  • 2011 world ranking # 64

New Zealand is one of the greatest places in the world for off-road cycling & people travel from all over to ride on our turf. Specialist mountain bike parks are popping up all over the country as the sport grows from strength to strength. Mountain biking can be for recreation, training or as a competitive profession.

Just 10 minutes drive north of Napier on the East Coast of the North Island, one of New Zealands largest and very highly regarded Mountain Bike Parks is located. Set within the privately owned, productive working, Pan Pac ‘Tangoio’ Forest is the Hawkes Bay Mountain Bike Club’s main purpose built facility, otherwise known as Pan Pac Eskdale MTB Park.

Click image to enlarge. Pan Pac Eskdale MTB Park. Photo by Dave Keys (July 2006)

Hawkes Bay Mountain Bike Club Incorporated (HBMTBC), is New Zealands largest mountain bike club with over 1653 members & growing daily,  [best year to date was the 2008-2009 membership year with a grand total of 2069 members] from all over the Hawkes Bay and is also affiliated to MTBNZ, which is part of BikeNZ (a combination of all the cycling codes). The requirement for a large, specialist area to cater for all the different styles of riding and abilities associated with the sport is well provided for at Eskdale.

290m of elevation at the highest peak allows tremendous views across the Bay and plenty of scope for a huge variety of trails.
There is over 80km of purpose-built cross-country, freeride and downhill trails, plus approx 25km of forestry roads and 4x4 tracks to cater for all levels of rider ability – from the novice beginner through to the experienced professional.

The total area of forest allowed for mountain biking at Eskdale is 356ha (880acres), which includes the recently replanted middle block.


Every year more and more purpose built tracks are designed and built by the HBMTBC, previously with the assistance of the local Napier Probation Department. Winter is the best time of year, as during summer the ground is too hard and the fire risk is too high.

At least 80% of the year the clay/dirt based trails sprinkled with pine needles are hard, dry and ride very fast, creating an awesome riding experience on the open and flowing style single-track.

The HBMTBC also have access to another Pan Pac owned forest 25 minutes drive further up the coast where there is a couple of purpose built downhill tracks and also a couple of extreme Freeride tracks, with more tracks in the pipeline to be built. This area is called Pan Pac Aropaoanui Downhill Park.

Hawkes Bay's latest mountain bike park is located just out of Waipukurau on SH2 - Pukeora Hill MTB Park - a 50ha forest block managed by PF Olsen Ltd & the 10km of trails are designed to suit the Family-Intermediate level cross-country riders, yet fun for the Advanced rider as well.

The HBMTBC have hosted a DH & XC round of the National MTB Series approx every 2nd year (1997, 2000, 2002, 2004 & 2006). In December 2007 we hosted round #1 of the new 2008 North Island Downhill Cup Series at Eskdale MTB Park. In November 2008 & November 2009 we hosted rounds of the very popular AKDH North Island Downhill Series & aim to continue this annually.

The HBMTBC is very grateful to the generosity of Pan Pac Forests Ltd & to PF Olsen Ltd for allowing the club access to their land. Due to being privately owned 'working' forests, a permit is required for access to these 3 areas. This is obtained, by either joining the HBMTBC, or by purchasing a 'Temp 3 Week Permit' from any of the main cycling shops, Information Centres, Bayview 4 Square or Whitebay Lavendar Café at Eskdale. Find out more on the JOIN page.

PAN PAC ESKDALE MTB PARK
(Pan Pac Forests Ltd)

PAN PAC AROPAOANUI DOWNHILL PARK
(Pan Pac Forests Ltd)

PUKEORA HILL MTB PARK
(PF Olsen Ltd)

TARADALE DIRT PARK
(HBRC)

MARINE PARADE PUMP TRACK
(NCC)