The Remutaka Rail Trail follows the route of the old Remutaka Incline Railway across the ranges between Upper Hutt and the Wairarapa, climbing through native bush to a high saddle before descending to the flat farm country on the eastern side. The trail is 115 km one way, though the classic section from Maymorn in the Upper Hutt valley to Featherston in the Wairarapa — about 40 km — can be done in a long day by fit cyclists or over two days at a gentler pace.
The climb through the Remutaka Forest Park is the highlight: the old cutting, stone bridges, and dark summit tunnel are all intact, and the bush is dense and alive with birdsong. Mountain bikes are the preferred transport; most people arrange a shuttle or one-way hire. The trail is one of New Zealand's official Ngā Haerenga Great Rides.