ACT, home of Australia’s capital city. ACT, home of Australia’s best mountain biking trails. If you’re into your mountain biking and you live in Australia, you’ve probably heard about the mountain biking trails around Canberra, ACT.
They are some of the oldest purpose built trails in the country and many argue they are still the best.
I’ve ridden a few of these in the past but not for a while so it’s been nice to reminisce and rediscover what awesomeness Canberra has to offer.
Although ACT is the smallest state in the country it really packs a punch in the outdoor activities category. Over half of the landmass in the little state is nature reserve of some sort.
The trails here are well maintained and well used. Some get pretty busy on the weekends but that just shows you how good they are I guess! They have everything from newbie green and kids tracks to pro level double black and red techy tracks, you’ve just got to know where to go.
That’s where I come in. I’ve picked my favourite 5 from a very extensive list of options. I’m hoping this will inspire Aussies and Travellers alike to venture to a largely forgotten state when it comes to exploring Australia.
In this era of staycations we should take every option to find something new and exciting on our doorsteps (although I do admit Australia is a rather large doorstep to have compared to some of you out there).
I’ve included some all time favourites and some you may not have expected. The first two are the bee’s knees and the last one I hope makes you branch out a bit, try something different.
Top 5 Mountain biking trails near Canberra
- Stromlo Forest
- Majura Pines
- Kowen Forest
- Bruce Ridge
- Centenary Trail
This place is the place to visit if you’re off-road riding in Canberra. It has over 50km of track that is well maintained and has routes for all abilities, including pros and kids.
It’s a shared park with horses and runners so care does need to be taken, but there are so many trails that you can tear down one of the single use bike tracks without a care in the world.
There’s serious climbs, serious switchbacks and serious obstacles here. You can easily spend a whole day here, they’ve got a cafe and shuttle service too just to round it all off nicely.
The trails vary in length and difficulty so there is something for everyone and chance for you to work on different skills each time you visit. There is even a road riding loop or two! Some riders travel to Canberra just for this park!
This forest network rates very highly with local riders. It is home to some of the oldest and most famous MTB trails in Canberra. The variety and maintenance of the 20km of tracks is amazing and the upkeep is done by the Majura Pines Trail Alliance.
The trails are signposted and go through different forest landscapes around each corner. There’s jumps, pumps, flows, techy ups and downs and easy cruises through the pines. There are more advanced trails here than other places including some red ‘extremely difficult’ ones hidden within the trees.
Sitting about 30mins east of the CBD nestled up against the state border is the awesome Kowen Forest network. Home to Sparrow Hill trails and East Kowen MTB trails (yes this is a 2 in 1 entry).
There is over 50km of XC trail here for beginner to intermediate level riders. If you’re after pro level this might not be for you, although some of the blue runs give you a run for your money.
There are some great, long, flowy trails through the pines here. Just Bliss. This is my vote for a ride where you just need to get out into the natural world and get some headspace.
This area is a fantastic place to start out. There is around 20km of easy to intermediate level track that allows you to hone your skills without worrying about a jump or obstacle you’re not quite ready for.
There are loop rides, switchbacks, nice flowy trails and a pub nearby to get a drink after your achievements! Be wary of the multi use trails and multidirectional aspect here.
It is very popular with trail runners and hikers going in both directions which can be obstacles in themselves!
It sits only 15 mins drive from the CBD so this is an easy network to have a go at before or after work to keep your legs going and get a daily dose of the good stuff.
This final entry is something a bit different. Not many states, or countries, offer this kind of off road ride. This is a 145km off-road riding loop around the capital city.
Not many places in the world have the space around their capital to be able to offer this. This is beautiful flowy off road riding at an easily rideable level.
The whole loop takes you through urban areas as well as out into the depths of national park. It’s split up into sections for those who don’t fancy or don’t have time for the full loop.
It takes you past several of the top MTB parks in the state too, so you can combine a few together over a few days of bikepacking if you can. If you’re visiting the state, this is a must try.
So there are my top 5 MTB and off-road riding spots near Canberra. It has made me want to go back, there are so many more to try as well. The government really have done well with the quality and variety of well kept and signposted tracks here.
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