A 100% off-road trail between Te Anau and Manapouri could finally become a reality if a new section of the current Lake2Lake trail gets the go-ahead.

The brainchild of the community led Fiordland Trails Trust (FTT), the popular 28km multipurpose track follows the east side of the Upper Waiau River and connects Te Anau with Manapouri.

However until now trail users have had to detour 2km via State Highway 95, to avoid a small area of Fiordland National Park on the east side of the river where biking remains prohibited.

FTT Chair David Boniface said when the project was first started back in 2016, the Trust had expected that changes to the National Park management plan would have allowed the trail to proceed through the small section of park.

The 10-year Fiordland National Park management plan was due for review in 2017.

While FTT had continually lobbied government and the Department of Conservation (DoC), Boniface said he didn't now anticipate any changes to the management plan before 2030.

"We have a duty of care and respect to the trail users."

"At some stage we've got to complete this trail and it's got to be totally off-road."

"We'll have to settle for a route that's not as good as the other one. It's going to cost us more as well. That's frustrating... but that's reality."

Investigations and scoping into the new proposed route, known as Leg 5, is now underway.

Running from Balloon Loop to Supply Bay Road, Leg 5 would successfully skirt around the national park.

The new section would however require Resource Consent, DoC and landowner permissions.

“Completing the Lake2Lake trail is a priority for the Fiordland Trails Trust along with extending our trail network," Boniface said.

“The recent impact assessment report highlighted significant positive economic and social impacts of the Lake2Lake Trail, and we have no doubt those benefits will only increase once the trail is complete.”