Morris Saddle - Tawanui (Catlins Cycling Route)

This is a great scenic ride and it provides you a chance to experience a bit of everything the Catlins has to offer. 

Distance - 32km loop

Surface conditions – The road is sealed for the first 7km to Morris Saddle Road and a further 10km for the final leg along the Papatowai Highway. The balance of the road is loose gravel. 

Gradient – This is a ride of mixed gradient with the steepest section being up and over the Morris Saddle (10km mark). Elevation gain: 468m.

Directions - From the Ōwaka public carpark head up Saunders Street into the Ōwaka Valley. Make sure you stop after 6.5km to view the Scotsman Bonnet and then turn left into Morris Saddle Road a few hundred metres further on. Head up and over the Morris Saddle, descending down into the Tawanui district, taking in magnificent vistas along the way. Crossing the Catlins River, keep riding and turn left into Catlins Valley Road. Along this road you will pass the accommodation facilities of Mohua Park and River Ridge and you will emerge onto Papatowai Highway (The Southern Scenic Route road). From here you will head back to towards Ōwaka, passing the Catlins Lake, on the sealed road.