Rainbow and Molesworth Stations, Part 1

In this first part of a two part series, we start off in Hanmer Springs. From there we go over Jack's Pass through to the St James Station. We drive through to Lake Tennyson, where we camp for the night in freezing conditions. On day two we drive over the spectacular Island Saddle through to the Rainbow Station. In the Rainbow we encounter genuine 4WD tracks with river crossings. A great start to our adventure road!

[@garth2876]

A fantastic part of the country, and certainly a chilly high country night out. I love travelling both the Molesworth and the Rainbow roads and exploring the area.

[@scottiebake]

Very cool trip guys, a good track beside lake Tennyson is the Maling pass track you'd get the Volvo through there easy as and it has beautiful views and some nice campsites down by the river. Really enjoying watching your videos, thanks for putting them up. 👍

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

Thanks Mate. Good shout on the Mailing Pass. I’ll give a nudge next home I’m up that way.

[@RadRoadAdventures]

The Rainbow road is an epic adventure, we are just up behind Hanmer up Jollies pass yesterday and said we had to drive the Rainbow again, I forgot how interesting that drive is. I see it's currently closed but I'm keen to do this sometime soon.

[@ashleighamg]

Love the set up in the back of your wagon. Looks pretty well sorted.

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

Cheers. It makes preparing food and stuff pretty easy. I did a little tour of it on insta instagram.com/stories/highlights/17864994314483313/

[@julianneandralph5093]

epic views around the lake!

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

Yeah, it’s pretty special place.

[@julianneandralph5093]

soo cool! found it!

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

Thanks! Glad you found it.

[@AndyOlivier]

Fun!

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

Sure was! Watch out for part 2!

[@PaulHilliam]

Beautiful country ❤ ♥

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

It really is!

[@garywihongi1705]

My mates traversed molesworth on there Harleys would you believe it aye

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

That’s a good effort. I bet they loved it

[@lesmondk3376]

we camped the night at lake Tennyson in mid February it was frosty as then ?

[@benjaminhilliam2702]

!! Crazy! Yeah, I guess anywhere at 1000m+ in NZ can be prone to that sort of weather at any time of year.

[@steve.afendoulis]

What date was this mate? I want to ride through the other way from St. Arnaud to Hanmer Springs- thinking about how light I can pack on an adventure bike, don’t need to camp really do I?

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

Hey. We did it over Easter in 2021 which was the start of April. You could easily go the whole way in a day and not camp. But as you can see the weather can be a bit brutal due to the highish altitude.

[@steve.afendoulis]

Thanks. Yeah so I need to have camping gear just incase. I read the Rainbow Station Rd is about to close for 8 weeks for upgrades! Awatere Valley Rd is closed too. Looking hard. How do you think heavy adventure bikes will handle these roads? Looks easy.

[@AdventureRoadNZ]

@@steve.afendoulis Camping gear a good precaution. The fact that we did it in a "soft-roader" gives you a bit of a hint to its condition. I think heavy adventure bikes would be fine.

[@steve.afendoulis]

@@AdventureRoadNZ That makes sense, yes. Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t any deeper fords, gnarly rutted-out or shale slips up/downhill that didn’t make the cut on the vid. Much appreciated. Thanks for make this.