Riding The Indigo Epic Trail in Victoria's High Country

Words and photos: Georgina von Marburg

What are the first pictures that come to mind when you think of Victoria’s High Country? No doubt the sweeping mountain-scapes of Mt Buller and the pine plantations of Bright. These are among a handful of riding locations that have earned iconic status in the hearts and minds of mountain bikers. 

But one area has flown under the radar. Situated 40 minutes from Albury, the Indigo Shire envelopes the historic towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah. These towns sprung up during the peak of the gold rush era, but are now home to modern cafes, famous bakeries, fine accommodation, and boutique retail stores. And while the gold is long gone, the produce from these towns is widely renowned; from honey and beer to fashion and art, Beechworth and Yackandandah are prime tourist destinations. As a child growing up in Albury, some of my best memories were Sunday excursions to Beechworth, where mum would give us twenty bucks to spend at the lolly shop after a day exploring the museums and lookouts. But now as a mountain biker, this area offers a whole new experience. 

A Tale of Two Cities 

Several years ago, whispers of a huge loop of singletrack to connect Beechworth and Yackandandah were going around. The neighbouring towns are separated by a 20 minute drive, and each have their own mountain bike trail networks. The Beechworth trails, home of the Beechworth Chain Gang Club, offer giant granite slabs, fast turns, and technical climbs. Yackandandah, home of the Yack Tracks Club has its own flavour with about 50 kilometres of narrow singletrack passing through historic mining routes and dense bushland. With such close proximity, the possibility of connecting these two networks via singletrack was a locals’ dream, but a mammoth task. That was, until the Indigo Epic trail was announced. 

With $1 million from the Indigo Shire Council backed by another $1 million from the Victorian State Government, the Indigo Epic trail has completed its final stages and is ready for tyres to grace its dirt. While utilising some of the existing trails in the area, the Indigo Epic has produced over 22 kilometres of brand new, machine-built singletrack. Until now, the work of TrailScapes has been kept hidden from the media and public eye; so naturally, I was chomping at the bit to ride the highly anticipated single-track. 

Eager to sample the singletrack goodness, I caught up with Beechworth locals and passionate mountain bikers Ben and Maria Kraus. Aside from owning the Bridge Road Brewers with Ben, Maria is also the treasurer of the Beechworth Chain Gang club. We met up at Tiny of Beechworth for some caffeine before setting out on our Indigo mission. 

Ben explained how the idea of an epic trail came about. “The idea was to find a line through native forest, which was identified, but there was not much we could do about it as a local group. But then there was some funding from government projects that could be implemented, so we (a group of local mountain bikers) pitched this idea of linking Beechworth to Yack.” 

When pursuing the grant, they took the idea of the IMBA ‘Epic Trail’ and applied it to their own venture. It would be 50 kilometres with over 1000m of climbing, taking riders on a journey through remote bushland and natural beauties. “We were focused on a descending line from the highest point above Beechworth down to Yack, and then we found another link from that highpoint back to Beechworth.” The result is a predominantly descending trail from Beechworth to Yackandandah, with an undulating return back to Beechworth. 

But the logistical beauty of the Indigo Epic is its figure-eight layout. Riders can start from either Beechworth or Yackandandah, and finish in the same or opposite town. And if you’re not up for the entire loop, you can ride just the Beechworth loop, or just the Yackandandah loop. There are so many ways to tackle the Indigo Epic, offering riders a different adventure with every visit. 

Fresh turns

A two-minute drive from centre of Beechworth has us at the pristine Lake Sambell. We unload the bikes and set out towards the start of the Indigo Epic trail through the Beechworth Public Recreation Reserve, where some older trails connect to the new loop.

The trail networks of the respective towns have been around for some time, cherished and maintained by local clubs and riders. But nothing new has appeared in the area until now. As we crest the first climb, the familiar TrailScapes logo appears on a sign and the dry bush suddenly gives way to lush fernery. 

As far as the eye can see, a machine-cut flowy descent awaits. It’s the kind of flow where riders of any ability can confidently look ahead and plan their antics on each feature. The rollers are perfectly spaced to allow enough pace to hit obvious doubles, triples, and hip jumps; but if you want to keep your wheels firmly on the ground, the main line offers a rollercoaster that all abilities will enjoy. 

It’s hard to wipe the smile off our face as the gradient mellows out again. We ride further in Yackandandah territory, signaled by a change in fauna and the narrowing of singletrack. The Epic trail adopts parts of the ‘Yack Tracks' trail network in particular the much-loved Kokoda descent. Crossing the Yackandandah trail head, from here you can head into town for a bakery snack, or continue on the main loop. Ripping through the famous flat corners and fast straights of the Yack Tracks, we head back on course and brace ourselves for the climb home. 

There’s definitely more climbing than descending back to Beechworth, but the trails are mapped to avoid any slog that exceeds ten minutes. Just as we’re getting tired, a series of tall berms down a short descent breaks up the climb and carries our momentum into the next hill. The huge tree ferns and dense undergrowth return in scenes similar to Derby, while a free-flowing creek runs beside us. 

Then, after another bunch of deliciously fun corners through native bush, the sound of running water becomes louder. As we crest another pinch climb, the gums open up to a huge waterfall and bridge crossing. It’s the perfect opportunity to refill bottles, and in the height of summer, the perfect place for a mid-ride dip. Ah the serenity. 

With so much variation in features and gradients, the Indigo Epic was really made for the modern down-country bike. I was aboard my Pivot Switchblade, a capable enduro bike with the efficiency of a trail bike. Ben and Maria were riding their respective Specialized Stumpjumpers, another versatile trail bike. A 100m XC bike would relish the climbing on hand, while a heavier 150mm rig would rail the descents. However somewhere in between would be the goldilocks zone: a slack enough geometry to hit the descending features with ease, but not too much travel to slog uphill. 

Continuing from the waterfalls, the trail comprises of a series of manicured switchback climbs before descending back into town. While the full loop contains enough climbing to merit the ‘epic’ adjective, the trails utilise the undulating landscape to their advantage. I found the time slipped by quickly as we traversed along the singletrack, engrossed by the natural surroundings. 

After the final pinches, we were definitely ready for a cold beer at Bridge Road Brewers! Bridge Road is a bit of an institution in Victoria's High Country, with an array of craft beers and probably the best pizza in the region. Tucking into the goods, I quizzed Ben on what group of riders will benefit most from the Indigo Epic Trail. 

While the Beechworth trails have maintained their reputation as more technically progressive trails, the Yack Tracks still fly the old school XC flag. New machine-built trails may be the drawcard for the Indigo Epic, but the history and flavour of each network remains. “There’s sort of this crossover of both those worlds. So I think the core group of mountain bikers using the Indigo Epic will be people who want an XC heaven. But it’s also fantastic for e-bikes because the climb is significant, and also great for people who like gravity and want to come and check out the descent.” 

A new kind of Epic 

The Indigo Epic is totally different to the typical alpine epic. What it lacks in sweeping views, it makes up for in town charm. Beechworth and Yackandandah warrant a weekend at least, and they’ve developed a strong tourist reputation for a reason. The Indigo Epic allows riders to enjoy the best of both worlds, combining a day-long ride with the features and facilities of this lively region. You can choose to stay in Beechworth and tackle the entire figure-eight course or just the closest loop. Or you can stay in Yackandandah and do the reverse, enjoying the craft gin and cheese boards at the Yack Distillery en route home (highly recommend!). Regardless of your abilities or time on hand, a brilliant course awaits. The Indigo Epic connects and highlights two long-standing trail networks, firmly placing this historic region on the modern mountain biker’s map. 

Beechworth

Where to caffeinate 

Project Forty Nine
57 Ford Street, Beechworth
Projectfortynine.com.au

Tiny of Beechworth
14A Camp Street, Beechworth
Tinyofbeechworth.com

Where to drink and eat

Bridge Road Brewers
50 Ford Street, Beechworth
https://bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/

Billson’s Brewery
29 Last Street, Beechworth
https://billsons.com.au/

Tanswell’s Commercial Hotel
50 Ford Street, Beechworth
Tanswellshotel.com.au

Where to stay

Beechworth Motor Inn
54 Sydney Road, Beechworth 
Beechworthmotorinn.com.au

Golden Heritage Accommodation
51 Sydney Road, Beechworth
http://goldenheritagemotore.com.au/

John and Jane’s Beechworth
19 Kars Street, Beechworth
https://www.johnandjanesbeechworth.com.au/

1860 Luxury Accommodation
4 Surrey Lane, Beechworth
1860luxuryaccomodation.com

Beechworth Lake Sambell Caravan Park
20 Peach Drive, Beechworth
Caravanparkbeechworth.com.au

Yackandandah

Where to caffeinate 

The Guard
6 Turntable Lane, Yackandandah
facebook.com/theguardyack/

Where to drink and feed

Happy Baker
6 Turntable Lane, Yackandandah 
happybakeryack.com

The Star Hotel Yackandandah
30 High Street, Yackandandah
Starhotelyack.com.au

Backwoods Distilling Co.
6 Turntable Lane, Yackandandah
Backwooddistilling.com.au

Yack Creek Distillery
231 Bells Flat Road, Yackandandah
Yackcreekdistillery.com.au

Where to stay

Yackandandah Motor Inn
16-18 High Street, Yackandandah
Yackandandahmotorinn.com.au

Red Box Retreat
55 Haring Lane, Yackandandah
Redboxretreat.com.au

Motel Views Yackandandah
3729 Myrtleford- Yackandandah Road, Yackandandah
Motelviewsyackandandah.com.au

For more information on the region visit victoriashighcountry.com.au