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Destination overview
For Sydney-siders, Manly Dam offers one of the only legal riding spots in the sprawling population centre.
The official loop is about 10km, and it’s primarily green and blue terrain. That said, this area is blessed with a tonne of sandstone, and there are bigger, high-consequence features, like the 19th hole, that will test more confident riders’ nerve. Be sure to stop and enjoy the view on Trig Track.
Many of the trails are multi-use, so don’t be shocked to come around a corner and see trail runners or dog walkers.
Get your descent on
Being that Sydney has a massive population of mountain bikers and very little legal singletrack, several unsanctioned offshoots connect into a well-developed community-built network. These trails are hardly underground, and many can be found on popular mapping apps, but they also aren’t necessarily approved by the land manager, so we won’t say any more about them here.
However, if you’re looking for something a bit more challenging than what the Manly Dam loop has to offer, pedal over to Bantry Bay for the Serrata and Gahnia trails. These black diamond descents are rocky, technical and require a fair bit of high-speed problem-solving.
Getting there
The Manly Dam loop is not a closed loop, and there are places to park all the way around. Most folks start and finish at the Seaforth Bowling Club and jump on Trig Track to access the trail. If you are keen to head straight into the black diamond descents, head for the Austrian Club.
Northern Beaches Council will close the trails if it’s been extremely we, so be sure to check the website if it’s been raining.
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