Dark Side Trail - Mabie Forest

The Kona Dark Side is the most technically demanding, hair-raising 2kms of legal timber trail to be found on Forestry Commission land in the country. It's aimed at experts only and is not for the faint hearted.

The route is made up of north shore-style timber trail, ranging from 60cm to just 10cm wide at its narrowest point and elevated to 1m above ground at its highest (except for the gap jump, which is 7ft high and 4ft wide - look before you leap!).

Constructed largely by volunteer stromtroopers, the trail is scary, very scary in bits actually. For the experts, the builders have created many off-camber step-ups, drop-offs, skinnies, gap jumps and rock features that will leave riders physically and mentally exhausted. Only the top riders will clean this trail in one go - many will return and try it again and again.