[Mountain bike trail in national park ] Introducing trail where you can experience the great outdoors of Norikura Highlands in Matsumoto, Nagano

• Table of Contents
• Where is Norikura Plateau?
• What is "Norikura Highland Trails"?
• Usage method/rules
• Introduction of main courses
• Access to Norikura Highlands
• Mountain bike trail

Where is Norikura Plateau?

Norikura Plateau is located in Chubu Sangaku national park in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. It is surrounded by the mountains of the Northern Alps, including Mount Norikura, one of the 100 famous mountains of Japan. It is a place where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery created by the blessings of these forests and mountains.

Also known as the "Norikura Onsenkyo" hot spring area, the area has three different hot springs where you can enjoy the hot springs: Norikura Kogen Onsen, a simple sulfur spring that gushes out from the mountainside of Mt. Norikura and is drawn into the Norikura Plateau; Suzuran Onsen, a colorless, transparent and mild spring that gushes out from within the plateau; and Azumi Norikura Onsen, which gushes out from 1,300 meters underground and is rich in calcium and magnesium.

What is "Norikura Highland Trails"?

At Norikura Highlands Trails, trail courses are maintained for two types of activities: "JOYFUL WALKS NORIKURA (trekking)" and "NORIKURA COMMUNITY MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS (MTB)." People of all ages, from children to seniors, can participate.

There are routes where you can experience the atmosphere of an untouched forest and routes where you can enjoy forest bathing while heading to a waterfall, allowing you to enjoy the natural scenery of Norikura and the views of the Northern Alps.

About NORIKURA COMMUNITY MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS (MTB)

In general, Japanese mountains are often steep and the landowners and related parties are often complex and intertwined, leaving few places where you can easily ride a mountain bike. However, Norikura Kogen has coordinated with landowners and other related parties to establish usage rules and set routes that are easy for mountain bikers to use and protect the safety of other users, and in 2021, the first public mountain bike trail in a national park in Japan was opened.

Usage method/rules

Please enjoy the facility while following the usage instructions and rules.

make a plan

The NORIKURA COMMUNITY MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS (NCMT) is available from Golden Week to early November. The weather in Norikura Highlands is changeable, so please check the weather information in advance.

Apply for use. Guided tours are available for beginners.

Please read the "Rules and Notes" on the following page. In order to protect this trail for a long time, we ask for your cooperation in paying a usage fee in the form of a "maintenance contribution."

How to use

NCMT trail are off-road. trail for experienced riders vary in areas with rocks, tree roots, and steep slopes, so riding requires sufficient experience and technique. For safety reasons, if you are riding off-road on a mountain bike for the first time, we recommend that you take a guided tour and lessons tailored to your level.

First mountain bike trail

Introduction of main courses

In addition to existing hiking trails and walking paths, work roads within ski resorts and trolley tracks from the days when forestry was thriving have been developed into trail that can be used by mountain bikers.

Depending on their usage, trail are divided into pedestrian-only sections, MTB/pedestrian shared sections, MTB-only sections, and sections for guided tours only.

Pedestrian priority section: 1.8km MTB/pedestrian shared section: 12.6km MTB only section: 1.0km

Introduction of main courses

To ensure that the trail can be enjoyed safely and sustainably, regular trail maintenance is carried out mainly by local businesses.

Access to Norikura Highlands

There are various ways to get from Tokyo to Norikura Kogen, including by car, train, or bus. If you use public transportation such as trains or buses, you will need to transfer.

Find a mode of transportation that suits your itinerary, budget, and travel style, and enjoy.

access

Mountain bike trail

Many of Japan's mountains are steep, and when you ride a mountain bike there, it's easy to pick up speed because of the steepness, so it's often not something that beginners can easily enjoy. Norikura Highlands is a plateau formed by a volcano, and the overall slope is gentle, making it easy to control your speed, making it an ideal terrain for mountain bikes. In addition, the trail, which stretch from 1,800m to 1,200m above sea level, not only allow you to see the trees and flowers unique to a national park, but you can also enjoy a cool ride even in midsummer. In autumn, you can ride through the trees with red leaves, making it a trail full of seasonal charm. What's more, you can also enjoy a hot spring after your ride!

The hot springs after the ride are also one of the attractions.