The Fernhill Loop track will close "at this time", because of maintenance costs, following a Queenstown Lakes District Council decision yesterday.
At the council's community services committee meeting, district forester Briana Pringle said it would cost $21,660 to upgrade the track, money that was needed for maintaining other "more rideable" tracks.
Committee chairwoman Cr Cath Gilmour said the cost was just too much.
"There's a heck of a lot of tracks that have been built through enthusiasm. Now we have to work out how to maintain them. This is one too many to add to the pot."
Cr Simon Stamers-Smith initially disagreed with the proposal, saying response from track users had "categorically" shown that people wanted it to stay open.
He was concerned delaying maintenance would result in a higher future cost when the council reviewed the closure.
"What's it going to cost in five years? It's going to be $50,000."
Ms Pringle said that there had been public notice of the track's proposed closure and she had not been contacted.
The track might reopen in the future, if funds became available.
Cr Russell Mawhinney summarised the situation by saying: "People are looking for ways to bring it back; [it's] just not feasible at the moment."
