Green trails for the green season
Rides in the high alpine aren't all about exposed ridge lines, jump trails and sketchy chutes. Here are some of the best beginner friendly rides in Australia's alpine areas.
Photos: Tim Bardsley-Smith, Nick Waygood
The past twenty-four months have delivered catastrophic fires, a global pandemic, and a general shift in our lives. But it's not all bad news, as Australia has seen a boom in cycling (including mountain biking), trail teams have had time to refresh trails in time for summer, and domestic travel is almost completely consistent, meaning we can all get to some of the best trail locations around the country!
With long daylight hours and time off work, summer is a great time to get out and ride. Throw in school holidays for an active family, and there's a great opportunity to pack up and head somewhere fun to ride. Here at AMB we often showcase the big lines and hard trails in the popular riding destinations. If you've just started out as a COVID-rider, or you have a family in tow, there's no reason to avoid some of Australia's epic alpine mountain bike locations like Thredbo, Falls Creek, Mt Buller, Bright – or even Maydena Bike Park (hey, the top is sub-alpine).
Every one of these locations has green trails that suit riders who are just starting out, along with bike hire if you'd rather try a different bike out on your holiday. Some locations even offer tuition, to help you make that next step, or jump, with your mountain biking. Here are just a few locations to keep in mind.
Falls Creek, Victoria
Falls Creek not only has an epic view, but it's location also means it's just about at the top of a hill, on a plateau. Falls Creek have mapped out a whole lot of gravel rides and easy mountain bike rides. So whether you choose to ride the aqueduct trails and visit some of the old wooden huts (see our Places that Rock feature) or try the long, mountain bike specific Flow Town green trail, there will always be more to do without needing to sign up for a Redbull endorsement.
Blue Dirt also have 24” kids' bikes to hire at Falls Creek, so head to the alpine resort's website for more details.
Thredbo, NSW
Home of the Cannonball Run, All-Mountain Trail, Ricochet, the Flow Trail… and also the Thredbo Village trails and the Thredbo Valley Trail. Away from the lift-accessed trails, the Village trails have some easier features and are a great place to master the techniques you’ll need to conquer trails higher up the mountain. The pump track in Thredbo is huge, and away from peak times it’s a top spot to dial in your skills working your bike.
The Thredbo Valley Trail can get a little more demanding in some sections, but due to it’s width and trail surface, it is quite beginner friendly at moderate speeds. You might even head down to Lake Crackenback to try their trails as well, or some trails around the lake at Jindabyne. Get some more ideas via our Snowies Roadie video.
Bright, Victoria
Bright isn’t just a quaint village and a booming real estate hotspot for those escaping Melbourne, it’s a perfect gateway to the Victorian High Country and the mountain bike delights up high. There’s plenty of riding to be done in Bright though, but if you’re just taking up mountain biking, the Hero Trail probably isn’t the place to start.
Bright does have easy trails along the river, and it’s a very bike friendly town to get around in. Plus the rail trail from Bright to Eurobin and beyond might be the perfect answer for where to ride with a young family. Next stop – Mystic Bike Park! Or maybe another year.
Mt Buller, Victoria
The alpine resort of Mt Buller is also an IMBA accredited Ride Centre, but despite having a lot of intermediate trails, there’s something for less-experienced riders and families as well. Lots of the green trails are based right in the village, so you’ll never be too far from your accommodation or your car if there’s a meltdown – from you or a young rider.
With the Family Trail running neatly into Soul Revival and One Tree Hill, don’t be put off by the relatively short trail lengths – the majority of trails at Mt Buller link together really well. And if you’re after an extra challenge, you could try the Blue (intermediate) rated Delatite River Trail. The start is steep and fast, but if you access the fire road from Box Corner, you can miss some of the steeper grades. The finish along the river with the log bridges is really special.
Maydena Bike Park, Tasmania
Ok, Maydena Bike Park isn’t an alpine resort, but The Summit is in a sub-alpine area, and the Regnans Ride is a green-rated descent with 820m of drop! While Maydena Bike Park might not stand out as the first place to visit for riders getting into the sport, with a pump track at the bottom, tuition available, bike hire and a huge boom in new green trails and shuttle services to lower on the mountain, it is worth considering a visit even for those finding their feet.
With what Maydena Bike Park now offers, you can keep just about any mountain biker happy with the trails available. Throw in some good food and drink right on site, and the fact that summer is a lot nicer than winter in Tasmania, and you have another location worth checking out for riders young, old, new or super experienced.
