The group pushing plans for the cycleway said it did not want to get ahead of itself, but Clutha Development's Rob Hewett said a largely positive initial round of consultation with potentially affected landowners had been completed.
Funding was being found to initiate a feasibility study to be completed this year.
''We're very conscious that the landowner support is integral to the success of this ... it's freehold land by and large,'' Mr Hewett said.
''We wish to work with every landowner who could be affected by the trail to determine where the best place to go is.''
A trustee on the Clutha Gold Cycle Trail, which runs between Roxburgh Dam and Lawrence, Mr Hewett said one of the lessons learnt in opening that section was that the trail could leave the rail trail corridor if required.
He said it was important, too, the project did not remain in the hands of Clutha Development but was taken on by ''the community''.
Some funding had already been committed in principle by community groups and businesses towards the feasibility study.
''Once we have enough cash we will look to employ somebody to go and have these one on one discussions [with landowners],'' he said.
''The vision has always been a loop starting and finishing in Dunedin.''
''It's early days yet, but the economic activity that's happening in the Teviot Valley and around Lawrence as a consequence of the cycle trail up there - it's been very positive, we'd like to see more of it.''
He said a completed trail was not necessarily many years off.
''There are big opportunities here into the future. It's not going to be a short term fix, but the problem with rural communities is there has been a long term decline and anything we can do to stimulate economic activity in a sustainable fashion I think is a good thing.''
