The Sash and Door Loop is a 20km intermediate ride that is about half on singletrack. The rest is on gravel roads or four wheel drive tracks. The best section is on the bed of an old bush tramway that was used by the Marton Sash and Door Company to transport logs out of the forest. The forest is now regenerating and that part of the trail is flat and has a very pleasant back-country feel.
The loop is very well signed but you do have to keep an eye out for the signs. The first one shows you where to turn off the track beside the railway line. It's about 2.2km south of the cafe. You won't lose the track as it continues south for a while, then crosses a bridge and climbs steeply (you'll probably have to push) for perhaps 150 metres up to the old tramway. From there you follow an easy trail through native forest. As you come to a road you'll see a map board. Keep following the signs...
Along the way, you'll ride briefly through a pine forest where you'll cross several mountain biking tracks in the area know as "The Pines". You'll ride along the main road for a short time and eventually you follow the railway line back to where you started.
I enjoyed this ride. I'm experienced in trail riding so looking for downhill rides on my hardtail bike, and this was good. The ratio of downhill to trail is a bit high, so if you'd prefer less trail then park at the entance to the forest on Erua Rd and start the loop from there (this would skip the two-way trail from/to National Park Train Station). If you want even less trail, start at the Train Station (end of Pehi Rd) and get picked up at the Erua Forest entrance. The puddles hold the water so if you're wanting to stay dry, don't do this ride after even a little bit of rain.
| ThankOf the trails that start at National Park Village, the Sash and Door Loop is not as popular as Fishers Track but it has the advantage of being a loop. It takes you through a little part of the volcanic plateau without demanding too much effort or skill. I suspect it would be best avoided after rain and in the winter.
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