Asked for comment about the ruling which reversed an earlier council decision to stop a road through Moutere Station, council roading manager Julie Muir said it was unlikely to be appealed, even though the council had yet to discuss the decision.
The council was committed to providing recreational opportunities for walking and cycling.
"Council also appreciates the access that is provided to the public by landowners across their private land for recreational pursuits in Central Otago."
Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper said although this was seen as an important test case by the Central Otago Recreational Users Forum (CORUF), he believed most outdoor enthusiasts, including himself, did not use paper roads as their primary access into the hills.
"We rely on the goodwill of farmers, often using their farm tracks to get to the places we want to go.
I sincerely hope there is not a backlash by them after this decision and that they continue to allow this great tradition of sensible use of their property in the future," he said.
Moutere Station owner Tony Jopp said the council had sought to stop three "paper" roads which went through his property.
The remaining two had been stopped and in return for stopping the third "paper" road, he offered to provide legal access over his property to Leaning Rock, a huge rock tor on the summit of the Dunstan Range.
The track to the rock would have been vested in the council or the Department of Conservation.
"So I wasn't asking for something without giving something back."
However, the Environment Court commissioners said it was inappropriate to consider "environmental compensation" for stopping the road, so they could not take the "trade-off" into account in their decision.
CORUF chairman Morley Williams said the group was representing walkers and mountain bikers in this case.
It was "deeply regrettable" the matter ended up in court and could not be resolved without a hearing.
Presenting its case had been a "huge effort" for the volunteer group and he had no idea yet how much the exercise had cost the forum.
