How Adventure Guide Provides Access to Tracks
This article is here to answer any questions you may have about the types of tracks Adventure Guide makes available on the website and navigation app. Most importantly, it outlines the due diligence taken to ensure that Adventure Guide delivers a positive outcome for both adventurers and landowners, particularly in cases involving access to private land.
The Ultimate Goal
Adventure Guide contains scenic tarmac routes through to challenging Grade 5 tracks. The ultimate goal is to provide the most comprehensive route planning resource and navigation app that features every noteworthy route in New Zealand – for adventurers of all ambition levels.
Public Roads
There are thousands of public roads in New Zealand. While many have limited appeal, Adventure Guide cherry-picks all the best public roads – both tarmac and gravel. These can be used to make great scenic style adventures all on their own. They can also be used by the more ambitious adventurer to connect with the more challenging tracks.
Public Tracks
There are hundreds of excellent public tracks over a range of different land types – most notably DOC managed tracks over government land. These tracks will vary in difficulty from Grade 1 to Grade 5. Access can vary and many are subject to seasonal closures. All the best public tracks are listed on Adventure Guide, accompanied by the seasonal access information and any other access conditions or cautions.
Private Land Tracks
Adventure Guide will display routes on private land where the landowners are happy to have them displayed. There are many landowners who welcome the exposure on Adventure Guide as the land access fees contribute to the costs of track upkeep etc.
Adventure Guide will not display routes on private land where the landowners do not want them displayed. After 15+ years of track scouting there are many tracks Adventure Guide knows of that are not displayed on the map, purely out of respect for the landowners’ wishes.
Unformed Legal Roads - ULRs
New Zealand has thousands of ULRs. These are parcels of government land that offer free public access. ULRs have the same legal right of access as any other major or minor road in New Zealand.
In many cases it looks like ULRs pass over private land, however that isn’t the case. ULRs pass over government owned parcels of land, that adjoin private land.
There are many ULRs that run along existing formed roadways or navigable land. The public have a legal right to use these ULRs. It is not legal for adjoining landowners to padlock gates or block ULR access in any way.
There are many ULRs that do not run along existing formed roadways or navigable land. This is often the case where a track was never officially formed along the ULR. In some cases, these ULRs can still be accessed by the public. However in some cases they cannot be accessed due to obstructions such as forests, rock outcrops, impassable rivers, swamps etc.
In many cases, landowners with ULRs running through their property courteously allow the public to pass through. These landowners should be commended and given respect as you pass through, especially if there is stock or farming operations nearby.
In many cases, landowners do not understand the legal standing of ULRs and illegally block access – unintentionally or intentionally.
There is more awareness of ULRs these days by individuals and groups who are working constructively and respectfully with landowners and local councils to ensure public access to ULRs.
Adventure Guide will show ULRs on the map, unless access is not practical or there is active access negotiation with the adjoining landowners in progress.
Disrespectful Individuals
Genuine adventurers all feel the same disappointment and frustration when a track is closed due to the actions of a disrespectful individual – normally the 1%.
While some have said that sharing tracks is a cause of track closures, this is not the case at all. In nearly every case the person responsible for closing a track is an individual that is local to the area and acts disrespectfully.
Adventure Guide users by comparison are people who enjoy heading off on adventures with friends or family, and value the opportunity to explore the more remote parts of New Zealand. They respectfully pass through locations once every few months, or once every few years, and do not jeopardise land access.
Adventure Guide does not support the notion of withholding tracks from the 99% of adventurers that respectfully head off exploring their own back yard, all because 1% choose to behave without decency.
Adventure Guide endorses respect to all landowners and urges you to report anyone that you see acting in a way that jeopardises track access. If those disrespectful individuals are singled out, it will help to protect track access for all of us.
Spreading the Pressure
As the population of NZ grows, so too does the number of people who enjoy adventuring. One of Adventure Guide's benefits is the high number of tracks. This spreads adventurers out over the country and avoids pressure on the commonly known tracks. This is a positive thing to help lessen the impact and preserve access to our great New Zealand track network.
Positive Effect
It is important that Adventure Guide has a positive effect when helping people explore the remote corners of New Zealand. If you have any feedback or suggestions that will help to keep our tracks open, you are welcome to contact Adventure Guide.