Dramatic and stunning in every sense, the tiny island state of Tasmania has earned a global reputation as an adventure-lover’s playground. It’s home to some of the country’s — if not the World’s — most remarkable mountain biking destinations.
Don’t let the small matter of the Bass Strait scare you away either. Just over an hour’s flight from Melbourne, and less than two hours from Sydney, you’ll be touching down in Hobart or Launceston and just a short drive to any one of Tassie’s dreamworthy trail networks. Or if you’ve got the time to spare and you’d prefer to cruise in the comfort of your own adventure-mobile, then approximately 10 hours aboard the Spirit of Tasmania, departing from Geelong, will have you alighting in the northern-Tassie town of Devonport.
With so much on offer, how does one choose where to ride? This summary provides a snapshot of what awaits you and your tyres on our picks of the best mountain bike trails in Tasmania.
Related:
- Best Mountain Bike Trails in Victoria | Top trails in the Garden State
- 10 of our favourite places to ride around New South Wales
Best Mountain Bike Trails in Tasmania
George Town | Fresh Trails on a Vintage Backdrop
So, you’ve opted to begin your journey in the northern end of the state, on the banks of the Tamar River, following in the footsteps of William Collins. The anticipation for what awaits you is peaking, and you might just burst if your tyres don’t touch dirt immediately. Lucky for you, the trails of George Town are a callin’, and reachable about 45 minutes if you’ve touched down in Launceston.
The trails of George Town are divided into two distinct areas — Mount George, and the more recently realised Tippogoree Hills.
The Mount George hub offers 16km split across 10 gravity-fed trails. These span from fun, flowy green trails, to incrementally more challenging blues, with one black diamond trail patiently awaiting a throw-down with the bold. The trails here are short, sharp, and aimed at progression, a great introduction for riders wanting to dip their toes in slightly deeper waters. Alongside expertly crafted berms and rollers, you’ll find long rock gardens to puzzle out and optional off-camber high lines to enduro-fy your run. Although small, there are trails at Mt George for riders of every level.
With trails that you’ll want to ride time and time again, it’s a good thing that your ride up is also covered. Local operator Send It Shuttles vow to get you back to the top and on the trails in as little as 5 minutes! Laps, anyone?
If you’re hungry for more, George Town has you covered. Just scoot on over the road to the brand-new trail network at the Tippogoree Hills and keep the good times rolling.
Tipp Hills is a tiered trail network proposing 57km of purpose-built fun, with the first tier having opened to riders as of December 2022. Here, 22km of rocky perfection awaits any and all on fat tyres.
Much of the media released since these trails opened has showcased the zero-chill double black trail, Devil’s Elbow, and for good reason. It’s got big boulders, janky stones, and every other size rock in between. And lucky you get to ride over the lot of them. With an ever-expanding map to cover, there is also plenty more orange dirt waiting to be railed by you and your crew. Although the shuttle service also extends to Tipp Hills, we recommend you place your bets and square up at least once with the 1.1km black diamond climb trail, Knightshift. You can take a read through our chat with World Trail legend, Glen Jacobs, here to find out more about what’s in store for you at Tippogoree Hills.
Being one of the oldest settlements in Australia, George Town is a special place to spend time off the bike, too. Delve into the town’s rich maritime history, catch a wave or two, or take some inspiration from the local fur seal colony and soak up some rays. Do you find being earthbound a bit dull? Explore the wonders of life below the surface, or take the best seat in the house by launching yourself from a plane and descending into town from above. Head on over to Wild Tamar for an extensive rundown on all of the adventures George Town has on offer.
To learn more, head on over to the George Town destination page. You can also remain ahead of the latest developments in the area by checking in on the George Town Mountain Bike Trails website.
Blue Derby | The Bar-Setter
“You’re from Australia? No way! Have you ridden Blue Derby?! What is it like?? I HAVE TO ride there” – Anonymous French gravity fiend met in Verbier, Switzerland.
We here at Flow believe that this opening quote says it all. The ex-tin mining town in the North-East of Tassie, once on the verge of extinction, underwent a rebranding of sorts in 2015, rocketing itself onto the bucket lists of mountain bikers all over the globe — including the pros. This doesn’t happen by mistake.
Blue Derby awaits 1.5 hours east of Launceston, 2.5 hours east of Devonport or 3.5 hours drive north from Hobart, home to over 125km of playground for you to explore, crafted by the visionaries at World Trail.
Are you after silky smooth ribbons of flow? Derby is the place. Maybe you get your kicks from puzzling out maze-like rock gardens? Derby. All-day epics? Derby. Sessionable airtime? You guessed it. Derby. Believe what you hear. This place is a veritable fun factory. Derby has hosted multiple rounds of the EWS in past years, and is set to continue this relationship in 2023 and beyond with the Enduro World Cup. You can hype yourself up for those events here.
As much as Blue Derby is for ravenous dirt diners, it is also one of the most family-friendly trail centres we’ve ever visited. Roll around the pump track or take it to the trails and get your whole crew hooked on the sport without having to take huge risks. Hazy Days is a grin-inducing green airflow trail that is expertly designed for beginners to earn their wings without the chance of being landed on by the high-flyers out there. Much like saying you’ve been to Whistler but only ridden the bike park, it’s just as heinous a crime to visit Derby and skip the Blue Tier. Shuttle out to the top of the Blue Tier Reserve with a pack full of snacks, and take in the pristine setting as you zoom through to Weldborough on 20km of superb, undulating singletrack.
The facilities at Derby are just as carefully thought out as the trails, with the new trailhead flexing a wash station, showers, EV charging points, and parking spaces to boot. A trailside campsite means that nighttime dreams of rollers and roosts can transition seamlessly into the real thing with the rising of the sun.
So you’ve just had the best day of your life, you’ve now parked the bike and you want to keep the good times coming? There is no shortage of places to eat, drink and be merry while in Derby. Experience post-ride recovery the Scandinavian way by sweating it out in the floating sauna on Lake Derby, then refill the tank with some of that famous Tassie produce at any one of the fine establishments in town.
I know what you’re thinking. “That all sounds great, but where can we wet our damn whistles?” You ask, Derby delivers. While pints at the Dorset Hotel have always (and will always) be a staple, a new kid on the block is here in the form of a brewery/distillery, Lot 40. Let the brews ensue.
Anything you might need to make your trip a success, such as shuttles, bike hire, guided tours, skills sessions and more are available to browse through on the Blue Derby website. You can also book your accommodation through here, with a portion of each booking directly being channelled into keeping the magic alive for riders to come.
We must also acknowledge the susceptibility of our outdoor playground to the forces of nature. Landslides in late 2022 caused some unexpected closures and changes to some favourites, including the lower section of fan-favourite, Air Ya Garn. In light of this, you can bet your last Clif bar that the wizards at World Trail are hard at work repairing damages and ensuring things run better than ever.
Word to the wise? Don’t rush it. Derby really does hold up to the hype, and a solid 3-5 days in the area will give you the time to appreciate the expanse of trails on offer, while allowing you the time to session the favourites, rest a little, and enjoy the area. But what do you ride? With so many top-tier trails on offer, planning out your visit can be a somewhat daunting exercise. Make your first port of call the Derby destination page, and go from there.
St Helens | Bush to Beach
The north-eastern coastal town of St Helens is reachable from any of the state’s major entry points within roughly 2-3 hours, and sets the tone for your stay from the moment you arrive. The air is fresh, the sea is inviting, and the mountains are just waiting to be ridden.
The Bay of Fires trail is one truly epic ride, launching into a 14km descent right from the get-go. Journeying through densely ferned forests, to ribbons of perfect flow between gargantuan boulders, the adventure wraps up at the white sands and lapping waves of Swimcart Beach. While you’re in for some incredible descending, there’s no avoiding the pedally stretches in between that you’ll be required to spin out if you’re hoping to make it to the beach. Those with e-bikes will be thankful for the assistance, but they’re not a must. To pedal the Bay of Fires under your own steam deserves an extra tall beverage at the other end.
If you’d rather opt for short and sharp over the all-day epic, St Helens delivers on that front, too.
Offering a stacked menu from which to choose, pedal out from the Flagstaff trailhead or catch a shuttle up to Liola Tier to bomb back down in style. Trails span from green and blue runs for those getting the feel for the sport, through to a collection of those hold-on-tight-and-don’t-crash kind of gems. You know those man-made surf pools that deliver wave after perfect wave? Well, black diamond trail, Send Helens, is like that, only dirt. Providing you maintain your speed and commit, you’ll feel like you’re racking up super-speed boost power-ups like you would in Downhill Domination on PS2 the whole way down.
With the St Helens boasting the calibre of riding that it does, it’s no surprise that it sets the stage for the odd event or two. Two-thirds of the immensely popular Dragon Trail MTB Race is hosted on these very trails, giving racers the chance to light the fire, testing endurance and skill in a setting like no other.
We here at Flow love bikes just as much as the next. In a place like Tassie though, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by missing out on everything else there is to do when the bike goes down for a nap. In St Helens, the tide is always high, the fish are always biting, and the surf is always good (these statements may have been exaggerated to make a point). Water sports here are a go-to pass time for locals and visitors alike. Not a particularly buoyant individual? No worries. A cruise on the state’s only glass-bottom boat gives you a glimpse down below without you needing to get wet, and there are waterfalls aplenty in the surrounding mountains to marvel at for hours on end.
Food, drink and accommodation are plentiful in St Helens, and are always well stocked for your recharge. The ocean-sourced food in particular, found all over town, is exquisite.
If St Helens sounds like it would float your boat, check out the destination page for more info.
Wild Mersey | Railin’ Railton
If you opted for the Spirit to ferry you over to Devonport, we’ll be VERY disappointed if you don’t head straight to Wild Mersey for a rip. Just 15 minutes from town, the Wild Mersey trailhead is located at the northern tip of the Warrawee Forest Reserve, for your first (or last) tasty bite of the Apple Isle.
The Wild Mersey network is a collection of trails spanning between Latrobe, Railton, and Sheffield, with works underway to have all three trail centres linked up in the near future. The dig crew is well on its way to the lofty goal of 100km of singletrack, and the current selection spans everything from wide, sculpted green trails through to off-camber tech, and sweet, sweet jumps — there’s even a lilypad feature to session with your crew! Although there are a few spicey zingers to be found out here, the network is without a doubt one of the best areas to bring someone new to the sport. There is plenty of flow to be had and countless features that lend themselves towards progressing skills. The trails here are all short, making it ideal to session favourites without having to shuttle or grind a long way back the second serve (or third, or fourth).
Echidna’ Me is a technical blue trail that you’ll want to hit time and time again, with just the right amount of jank and sendy side hits to keep even the most aggressive riders happy. Then balance things out by rolling over to Super Hornet, a twisty treat with an orange coating, featuring the aforementioned lily pad — definitely a must-ride if you’re into airtime!
Regardless of the cut of your jib, there are trails to suit. Short-travel XC bikes will have fun puzzling out the smooth lines, where longer travel trail or enduro rigs will feel right at home charging through the rough stuff. With the number of trails to explore, E-bikes are a great pairing with this area. While the tight techy nature of some of the trails can make wrangling a heavier bike quite the task, E-Challenge is a trail specifically designed to put those watts to the test, which we guarantee you’ll want to tackle more than once.
Whether you’re after a relaxing small-town vibe or prefer the luxury of a city, the Wild Mersey sits nestled between just about everything you’ll need. Stay in Devonport to give yourself a wide array of accommodation, restaurants, bars and cafes to choose from, or opt for a smaller town such as Sheffield — The Town of Murals — in the shadow of the impressive Mt Roland.
The iconic Cradle Mountain is just a stone’s throw away and definitely worth the scramble, and the Warrawee Forest Reserve boasts the title of Platypus Capital of the World, giving you the greatest chance of anywhere to spot one of these elusive little critters in the wild.
Whaddya say? If this snapshot has piqued your interest, check out our Wild Mersey feature and begin planning your visit.
Queenstown | Tasmania Edition
Look out, New Zealand. There’s another Queenstown in…er…umm…town, adding yet another flourishing feather in the (Frenchman’s) cap of Western-Tasmanian mountain biking.
The impact of human intervention and resource extraction on the natural environment in Queenstown is immediately evident. Widespread logging and mining in years past has led to the disappearance of almost all topsoil, exposing the gravelly layers below. What seems desolate to some, to others can represent a blank canvas on which to paint. And paint they have. Dirt Art has since instilled a new sense of uniquely dramatic beauty, transforming the bare Mt Owen into a rowdy mountain bike park to call home about.
From day one, Simon French of Dirt Art saw this unique space worthy of something different — a heading that remained with the team the entire way through the build processes. Standing a lofty 1,146m tall, Mt Owen is rough, rowdy and unlike anything else in Australia. Picture steep, exposed ridgeline descents; tight, techy corners; and loose chutes to boot. If you’ve ridden in the backcountry in the Canadian Rockies or the European Alps, then you’ll have some idea of what’s in store on the upper section of Mt Owen. Tyre pressures are key here – you want them low enough to give you the grip, but inflated enough to give your rims a fighting chance. Waterfall is a great, long and well-balanced descent, with loads of hefty, optional side hits for the pinners out there. It also must be mentioned that the infamous West Coast weather, paired with the lack of coverage on Mt Owen can make this location pretty wild if the forecast turns. Check ahead, plan your ride and ensure you carry appropriate gear.
It’s not all double black, brake-burning gnar on Mt Owen. The lower part of the hill features a range of green, blue, and in-between runs that still deliver that signature Mt Owen flavour, without taking you as high or as far. Shuttles are available from Queenstown for the upper trails, but a fun 10km of singletrack can still be sessioned on the lower mountain without the need for an uplift.
The west of Tasmania is known for its dramatic peaks and its rugged remoteness. If you’re in Queenstown and are taking a day or two off the bike, there is absolutely no shortage of alternative adventures to be had, from summits to seas. Frenchman’s Cap is a prominent multi-day hike among non-wheeled communities, and is an absolute must for those that have scheduled in a few days to drop the average speed while still remaining active.
The café and restaurant scene in Queenstown knows exactly what it takes to feed a horde of hungry mountain bikers, and delivers convincingly on that front. For instance, Tracks Café makes one mean cheeseburger. Trust us.
Prospecting for more? Dig yourself up a few more nuggets of wisdom at the Queenstown destination page.
Zeehan | Silver City Shreds
With the sheer amount of mind-blowing mountain biking there is to be ridden in the east of Tassie, things were beginning to feel a little lopsided. The west has since answered, and done so in fine style. Introducing Zeehan and the Trails of Silver City (how is this not a Marvel title?).
Zeehan was once a booming mining town, but is now home to fewer than 1000 people, and an altogether different kind of treasure. It was actually home to the first purpose-built mountain bike trail in Tassie’s west (Oonah Hill), which has now been integrated into the Silver City network.
A very scenic 2.5 hour drive from Devonport will have you pulling into the township of Zeehan, at which point you will be itching to kit up and head out into the spectacular Heemskirk Ranges.
What do pancakes, cash and the Heemskirk Ranges trail network have in common? The more you stack, the happier you’ll be. Three loops await those setting off here, with each one increasing in difficulty, distance and remoteness. Upon intersecting with the next trail, riders are posed with the option of levelling up their ride, or continuing on to close the back half of the loop that you began. This stacked system allows riders the option to ride up to 35km on a single outing, making for one epic adventure ride across some of the most jaw-dropping scenery we’ve encountered. While not everyone likes to ride loaded up, we highly recommend wearing a pack for this one. You’ll definitely want to pack plenty of water, snacks, first-aid and megapixels — we’re serious. You’ll be pulling over for photos more than once. The unique, open landscape stretches out in every direction, offering epic views of the trail both in front of and behind you.
With the remote nature in mind, we also recommend perhaps not playing things too risky, instead deriving your jollies from this trail’s epic sense of adventure over those adrenaline-fueled near misses we all love to recall over a pint. The exposure out there can be real at points, and help may require a wait if things do take a turn for the worse. Be safe, take your time and soak up this ride of a lifetime.
You’ll find beds for sleeping, food for eating and drinks for drinking in Zeehan, and the slightly larger Queenstown is just half an hour away to enable the fulfillment of your post-ride needs, whatever they may be.
What does a west coast adventure look like exactly? Relive our recent odyssey here, and check out the West Coast Tas website to get the inside scoop on what to do in and around Silver City.
Maydena | The Rowdy One
Maydena. A name in itself that seems to echo when spoken, and even just one top-to-bottom lap will have that day running through your mind forever more, like an iPod stuck on replay. Approximately an hour and a half west of Hobart, we recommend beginning this drive fully kitted up – helmet and all. You’re not going to want to waste any time from the moment you pull up.
Sculpted into the slopes of Abbotts Peak, Maydena masterfully utilises every one of the 820m on offer, currently serving up over 80 gravity-fed trails for riders of every level, and we mean every level. The top riders from all over the world can regularly be seen here testing the upper limits of their skills — and occasionally the latest bits of unreleased tech.
Since their highly anticipated grand opening in 2018, Maydena Bike Park and the crew at Dirt Art have continued to outdo themselves, with a trail network so extensive yet intertwined, every single run down can be linked together in different ways, depending on the style of riding you’re after. You can ride a rainbow of trail ratings on each top-to-bottom run, linking up fast with flow, steep n’ slow, BIG jumps, loam and wide open, sessionable party trails to blast down with your mates.
Over time, the park has matured from a place best avoided by beginners, to a top-shelf destination for those rad families we all wish we grew up a part of. The lower part of the hill is dedicated to the early-days shredders, where you’ll find a range of beginner-intermediate trails aimed at progressing the skills and confidence in a fun and controlled way. Coaching sessions are also available if you think you’d benefit from some professional guidance. There is even an uplift service in this lower area, so you can reserve more of your energy for pinning it all day!
For the tried and tested Han Solos out there, head to the summit and prepare to enter hyperspace, Chewie. The sheer quality, number and diversity of these trails has made this a favourite for the vertically inclined, from weekend senders to career athletes. Maydena has hosted multiple Downhill National Championships, Enduro Jams, a 24-hour Gravity Challenge, and is set to host a round of the 2023 Enduro World Cup (formerly EWS). New world-class trails are set to be opened in time for this event, specifically designed to ensure that these professional speed demons are pushed to their limits.
Maydena’s one and only shortcoming is that, outside of the bike park, there is very little else. We’re talking no shops, pubs, fuel, or accommodation that’s not Airbnb. Fear not, however. Simon French, bike park owner and Dirt Art Director, has laid out a detailed plan on exactly how Maydena is going to fix this, including hotel-style digs, glamping, bars, cafés, non-bike related attractions and more. You can find out more about Maydena’s 5-year plan here. In the meantime, the bike park base has got you sorted for the core necessities, such as pizza, beer and pump track laps.
We could (and probably will) spend forever raving about Maydena to anyone that will listen, but we think you should probably just cancel all of your plans and head there immediately to experience it yourself. Check out the Maydena destination page to dive into the planning phase!
kunanyi/Mt Wellington | Capital Cruising
While this fun-sized state hosts your wildest dreams within just a few hours in every direction, you can’t quite beat having a set of rowdy trails on the doorstep of the capital city. Whether you’re entering or leaving, or stopping through to acquire a little culture before getting back to rolling around in the dirt, Hobart is a must-stop destination for every visitor. And with kunanyi/Mt Wellington standing guard over this vibrant city, you bet your barplugs that there is some top-notch riding patiently awaiting your arrival.
The mountain is frequented by mountain bikers, dog walkers, hikers, trail runners, birding enthusiasts, citizen scientists and more. The City of Hobart recognises the importance of enabling a safe space for people to practice their sports and the potential economic benefits in doing so, and are hard at work implementing their ongoing Ride the Mountain initiative. What does that mean for mountain bikers, you ask? More trails.
For the time being, there are beginner-friendly green trails, through to enduro-worthy blues with optional black features — the equivalent of adding a dollop of cousin Nick’s homemade hot sauce to your nachos. For $50 with a bike, jump on the kunanyi/Mt Wellington Explorer Bus and check out the highly acclaimed North-South descent for an 11km rumble through the jungle, coming out not far from ye olde Cascade Brewery, where the Cascade Pale Ale — Australia’s longest continuously brewed beer — flows like water.
With the river flowing through and mountains above, it’s hard not to fall in love with Hobart at first sight, and being a capital city, you will be hard-pressed to sample everything it has to offer in just one visit. As for what we recommend, no trip to Hobart is complete without a peruse around the halls of the internationally renowned MONA, then continue this cultural immersion at any one of the restaurants serving up the freshest local grub you can find.
If you’re a little overwhelmed about where to start with Hobart, check out the Hobart City website for the lowdown on the trails, and other non-bike related attractions on offer in the capital city.
Whew. So there you have it. Tassie by bike, in short form. From all-day epic adventures, through to steep, fast and loose descents, and everything in between, Tasmania punches far above its square kilometrage. With dramatic mountains, pristine beaches, ancient old-growth forests, and glistening lakes, Tasmania well and truly has it all. Believe us when we say that what was written here is just the very tip of the iceberg. What is more, this is only a snapshot of the best mountain bike trails in Tasmania on offer right now. With its wild, diverse terrain, and the visionaries responsible for realising the scale of its potential, the future is bright.
While Tassie makes a convincing case in the battle of the states, the mainland is no pushover. Check out the Destination Hub for the lowdown on what’s what on wheels ‘round the rest of Australia, and start planning out the next adventure. In the meantime though, we’ll see you in Tassie, folks!
Words: Josh Curtis / @joshacurt