It might not be the largest state in our great island nation, but the variety of terrain that Victoria has on offer is nothing short of astounding. From lofty alpine vistas to dense rainforests, there is something here for everyone. And the best part? The mountain biking scene in Victoria is alive and booming, boasting trails that will get you out there hootin’ and hollerin’ in any number of quintessential Aussie settings. Whatever your idea of the perfect trail is, there’s a good chance you can experience it on knobby tyres here in Victoria.
Read on for some of our favourite riding spots around Victoria, or make your way over to the Destination Hub to dive into the details and start planning your next trip.
Best Mountain Bike Trails in Victoria
Forrest | Adventure in the Otways
Enter the green room. Showcasing the very best of Victoria’s Great Otway National Park, the breadth of the trail network in Forrest, VIC makes it a fantastic location to take an entire family of shredders, regardless of skill or fitness.
There are two impressive trail networks in Forrest; one is in town, found drinker’s right of the infamous Forrest Brewing Company, and the Yaugher Trail Network, which is a short drive north of town. The trails to the drinker’s right of town have just undergone a massive revamp, but this only just the start of what’s planned in Forrest.
The township trailhead spans out to more than a dozen that can either have you zooming through ferns close to civilization or lead you all the way out to Lake Elizabeth. Quite possibly one of the most enjoyable green trails around, Roller Coaster makes for a perfect warm-up loop that is sure to get you buzzing for what’s to come. If long, flowing downhills, berms and the odd tabletop are your thing, Red Carpet is a must-ride. This side of town is also home to the brand new Barwon Flow zone — four machine-built descending trails and a mellow climb to get you back up. There’s also a MASSIVE new pumptrack at the trailhead — this thing is epic and constantly packed with little shredders.
Once you’ve refuelled at the General Store, the Yaugher trail network awaits. Here, you’re greeted with a smorgasbord of options, each as fun as the next. The Yaugher Super Loop surrounds most of the trails in this area. Here you’ll find several blues and blacks jutting off only to eventually re-join the loop, making for an easy-to-follow, customisable circuit that will leave your legs burning and your smile wide. Marriner’s Run is our pick of the top trail at Forrest. With rock rollovers, charging descents, lung-busting climbs and grin-inducing bermed gullies, Marriner’s Run is a hoot whether it’s your first time at Forrest, or you’re a seasoned Yaugher vet.
If you’re looking to rope friends, family or a significant other into a life on wheels, a day or two at Forrest is sure to have them hooked. Fun, flowy trails, enough technical features to keep things interesting, and incredible scenery in every direction. Forrest is a must-ride destination for mountain bikers of every level.
There are no two ways about it, though. To square up with the trails of Forrest is to sign yourself up for some pedalling. Anything from your entry-level hardtail to the more trail-oriented downcountry whips will feel right at home at Forrest. Pro tip? Leave the enduro beast at home for this one. Also, be sure to carry plenty of water, as there are no refill points available once you head out into the ferny wilderness.
You Yangs | Rock hopping not far from Melbourne
Less than an hour’s drive south-west of Melbourne, the iconic silhouette of the You Yangs is home to a range of masterfully crafted trails to suit just about any rider.
The park is split into two distinct areas, Kurrajong and Stockyards. The Kurrajong trails are on the southern side of the park, just a short drive from the town of Lara. This area is pure XC, made up of fairly flat, predominantly green and blue trails with a sandy soil base, making it a cracking place for beginner riders to get the feel for mountain biking.
For those looking to up the ante, Stockyards provides more of a technical challenge, with trails ranging from blue to double black — technical XC to race-worthy DH. Stockyards can be accessed from the Drysdale Road car park at the northern end of the network. If rock gardens are your jam, then this may just be the place for you. In contrast to the southern side of the hill, this area is built upon huge granite boulders that make for some seriously fun features. The surface out here is loose over hard pack, making for some tricky cornering in bone-dry conditions. The flip-side is that the You Yangs becomes a grippy paradise after a little bit of rain.
If you’re looking for a challenge with a bit of everything in it, Trail 7 – Trav’s Diamond, is a great black trail with technical rock gardens, bridges and gargantuan wooden berms that verge on wallrides.
With such a variety of trails on offer, the You Yangs makes for a great day out regardless of your experience level or the type of bike you’re riding. Check out the trail maps and gradings at the You Yangs MTB Club website.
Harcourt | The big apple
La Larr Ba Gauwa Park, affectionately dubbed by many as “Gnarcourt,” is home to the Harcourt trail network. An hour and a half north-west of Melbourne, Harcourt is a clear front runner for many looking to get out for a proper ride on quality trails without turning it into a day-long mission.
There is 34km of singletrack divided across 11 trails, all named in the indigenous Dja Dja Wurrung language, with each being as fun as the next. The terrain is built on and around large granite boulders and is well suited to intermediate or experienced riders. Here you’ll find mostly blue trails with a few spicy black trails to keep you honest.
If railing berms, boosting jumps and pumping rollers is your idea of a good time, then the northern trail hub will be up your alley, even sprinkling in some zesty A-line gnar for those who dare to go big. A recommended trail combination that delivers the best of everything is to take the technical climb up Trail 5 – Werpil where you’ll be treated to an open panorama of the expansive valley below. Take a breather here, because you’re about to feel like a pinball as you pick your way down through the rocks back towards the trailhead. Now that you’ve survived the tech, continue straight through to Trail 2 Girra where it’s all about g-forces and airtime.
If you don’t like your flow to be presented on a silver platter, instead preferring the satisfaction of picking the best line through a janky maze of rocks, then the southern trail hub will most definitely be your jam. The climbs out here are as fun as the descents, with more than a few sections warranting a wager among mates as to who can ride them without a dab.
With a granitic soil similar to the You Yangs, Harcourt can be quite slippery in the dry but comes into form a spot of rain — it’s also great for growing apples. Also, be sure to take plenty of water with you as there are no refill points available once you set off.
However, Harcourt has been closed since late 2022, after La Nina gave Victoria a lashing, leaving the park in a bad way. Repairs happening now, and once the La Larr Ba Gauwa is ready for riders, we’ll update this story. To see just had bad the damage is, and learn more about the repair work being done, click here.
Check out the La Larr Ba Gauwa website for further information on trails and gradings.
Red Hill | Wicked trails overlooking the bay
If your recent rides have been fun, but you feel like they’ve been missing a certain je ne sais quoi, then perhaps what you might need is a breath of ocean air? Moving along to a different part of the state is the rider-favourite Red Hill, found along the eastern coastline of Port Phillip Bay. A cruisy 1.5 hours down the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and you’ll find yourself in the small beach town of Dromana, which is overlooked by Red Hill and the Arthur’s Seat Lookout.
Park up along the small strip of shops and cafes on Boundary Road, and you’ll see a big dog park across the road. If you want to start your ride the right way, be sure to scratch a few good boys and girls behind the ear (you know, for luck) on the way to the back of the park. The expansive Arthur’s Seat MTB trail network branches out from this point, ranging from fun and flowy greens and blues to twisty, mushroom-lined climbs and the black diamonds that only a pine forest can deliver. Although the climb up can be gruelling, it’s worth the extra effort to reach the Arthur’s Seat Lookout, where you’ll be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of the bay stretched out in all its splendour.
As for our pick of the trails, we’d have to say that the aptly named Pins and Needles takes the cake. From top to bottom, this trail is a rodeo of berms, drops and extended off-camber root sections that seek to push you off-line. This track is enduro to the core, making for a difficult trail that’s tough to nail. But we guarantee you’re going to have fun trying.
The Mornington Peninsula is also known for its great local produce, so make sure you stock up on the goods before you head home so that every time you pop a Red Hill olive, you’ll have flashbacks of that high-line that you successfully pulled off.
If you’re after more of an insight into what’s on offer at Red Hill, head on over to the Red Hill Riders Mountain Bike Club website.
Lake Mountain | Melbourne’s cascading getaway
Lake Mountain is the gateway to the Victorian Alpine Region, meaning in under 2 hours drive from Melbourne you can find yourself at the foot of what is regarded as one of the top MTB destinations in the state.
Although there is a small network on the summit of Lake Mountain, the 28km Cascades trail stands out as one of the greats. Setting off among the pale, gnarled snow gums at the summit, the singletrack meanders down through luscious ferns, throwing every trail feature imaginable at you, before depositing you into the town of Marysville below.
Be warned, this trail will burn through your brake pads as much as it will your legs, with about 1550m of grin-inducing technical and flowy descents, broken up with 500m of lung-busting climbs in between. Picture this on an elevation map and you will get some idea of the thought process behind the trail’s name.
The trailhead is best accessed via a shuttle operated by Lake Mountain, which runs for most of the year outside of winter when the snow season takes over.
Being a long and rough point-to-point trail, be prepared with plenty of water, snacks and spares to ensure you roll up to the Marysville Country Bakery at the end whole and happy.
If you feel like one day in paradise just isn’t long enough, then there are plenty of places to stay, eat and drink to ensure that you get time enough to experience the area to its fullest — you can even camp at the summit!
Keen to learn more about Lake Mountain? Check out the Destination Page for key information, maps and trail grades. For a deep dive into this impressive resort, check out our Lake Mountain Weekender here.
Falls Creek | The alpine MTB paradise
Perched high in the heart of the Victorian Alpine Region, Falls Creek boasts plenty of that high-alpine shred-cred with many of its trails branching off the 1800m summit, well above the treeline.
With 21 trails spanning 40km of singletrack, this destination will no doubt be marked down for a revisit the moment your tyres touch the dirt.
Falls Creek delivers a smorgasbord of singletrack with any one of its flow trails making for a perfect warm-up before moving on to the big stuff. There are plenty of green and blue trails on offer, with three hardcore black runs for those who want to test their limits. Whether you’re a beginner getting the feel for the sport, or an experienced shredder that wants to warm up to — or cool down from — the gnarlier gravity trails out there, trails such as Eagle Rock or Flowtown are going to be great fun regardless of your experience level.
If janky rock gardens, berms, jumps and drops are your idea of a good time, trails like High Voltage or Thunderbolt will leave you laughing and shaking your hands out at the bottom. And when it’s time to go back up and tackle that techy rock slab again, Blue Dirt run shuttles every weekend outside of the winter season enabling you to rack up the laps and leave you at the end of the day feeling like you’ve done 1000 push-ups. There are also plenty of climb trails to sweat it out acoustic style or power up on the e-bike before reaching those descents. Falls has completed the first stage of its expansion plans opening a handful of new gravity trails built by World Trail, with more to come.
Fast, rough and technical are just a few of the ways you can describe the terrain at Falls Creek. Keeping this in mind, short to mid-travel trail bikes through to enduro bikes will allow you to tackle most of what can be found out here.
Falls Creek sits just shy of 5 hours drive from Melbourne making it a tall ask for a day trip. Thankfully the resort is well equipped to handle multi-day guests, having an assortment of cafes, restaurants and accommodation open outside of the snow season, alongside events such as the mega 3-day Ignition MTB festival.
Are you now hanging for an epic Victorian Alpine riding trip? Check out the Destination Page to find out more about Falls Creek, including maps and trail grades.
Mount Beauty | The hand-built classic
Big Hill Bike Park, contrary to its name, is actually a slightly smaller hill when comparing vertical meters with neighbouring Falls Creek. But don’t let that statement fool you. Big Hill Bike Park at Mount Beauty serves up one of the oldest and most expansive trail networks in the state, tucked in close to the base of Mount Bogong, Victoria’s tallest mountain.
Being the home of one of the most loved stops on the Victorian DH series and the Victorian Gravity Enduro Series, tales have spread far and wide about the nature of the gravity trails on offer at Big Hill.
The downhill racetrack is among the toughest in the country. If you need further convincing, Dean Lucas could often be found here during his career, using the Big Hill DH track to prep for racing the world’s rowdiest trails.
While these are entirely valid credentials, the fun is definitely not limited to the extreme end of the spectrum. A staggering number of high-quality, hand-cut trails are what await riders that venture over to the small mountain town. There are green trails for the beginners looking to build on their skills, and a plethora of blue and black trails to whet the appetites of those looking to tackle some tech. And tech they will get. Flow is hard to come by at Big Hill, granted only to those who pay in the currency of sweat, often resulting in a lasting sense of satisfaction tinged with lingering exhaustion.
Rocks, roots, vert and a dusty top layer in the summer make this a challenging and highly rewarding place to ride mountain bikes.
Mount Beauty as a town exudes charm. Located so close to many of the top action-sport destinations of the country, it is well equipped with MTB-friendly services to make your time in the area a pleasant one. This includes accommodation, restaurants, supermarkets and yes, a brewery. And for those who may have bitten off a bit more than they could chew will can find some amount of solace in the fact that the township of Mount Beauty has more emergency medical facilities at hand than you can shake a crutch at.
Want to experience the Beauty for yourself, but unsure of where to start? Head over to the Destination Page to get the low down on the trails of Mount Beauty and more.
Bright | They mystical hero of the alpine region
What do you get when you combine a MTB mad community, world-class trail builders, and the cooperation of local businesses and councils? A mountain bike destination like no other.
Sculpted from a piney canvas with 800m of vertical, Mystic Mountain Bike Park in Bright is a veritable gold mine of goodness, hosting 100km of singletrack across 70 trails for you to link up as you see fit.
So you’ve heard tales of the infamous descents but really want to earn those turns? The lower part of the hill is an XC trail rider’s paradise, with undulating singletrack of all difficulties awaiting those who don’t mind turning the cranks. On these trails, anything from a hardtail to a mid-travel trail bike is going to be a lot of fun.
Or perhaps the pull of gravity is what gets you fired up, and you want the quickest way to the top in order to maximise your time going down? Blue Dirt offers a slick shuttle service that operates year-round (weather dependent), which alights at the top of some of the best flow and downhill trails in Victoria. Mid-travel trail bikes through to full-blown DH rigs will allow you to get the most fun out of this top section of the hill.
The trails at Bright are rated anywhere from green through to double black. However you choose to arrive to the top, the Hero Trail is a must-ride on the way down. This flowy blue trail is packed with jumps, rollers and berms that will have less experienced riders hooked and seasoned pros lining up for another lap.
Being such a popular trail, just make sure that you adhere to proper trail etiquette to ensure the safety of yourself and the other shredders you’re sharing the trail with.
Just recently, the Alpine Community Plantation implemented amembership model to help fund the trails. Memberships are required to access the park and range from day passes all the way to annual access, and can be purchased through the Hive Pass app.
When the sun is out, the township of Bright is buzzing. For those particularly warm sessions, you can cool down with a dip in the Ovens River, then finish off the day with a woodfired pizza and a tasty local beverage from the Bright Brewery.
Want to know more? Head over to the Bright Destination Page for more information on the trails, maps and gradings.
Mount Buller | Home of the Apline Epic
A destination that needs little introduction, Mount Buller is one of the crowning jewels in the Victorian Alpine Region due to its capacity to blow your action-sport socks off year-round. Once the snow melts and the slidey planks are packed away for another season, Mount Buller transforms into a true Aussie-flavoured alpine mecca for mountain bikers.
Mount Buller is Australia’s first International Mountain Bike Association accredited destination, which means that it is a destination that truly caters to every level type of mountain biker. It offers everything from epic backcountry rides, to cruisy flow trails, to world-class downhill race tracks. From cruisy green trails to white-knuckle blacks, Mount Buller has you covered if epic times on two wheels is what you’re after. And after the recent rebuild, which saw Countour Works and Trail Scapes revamp the XC and gravity trails, Buller may look a little different to the last time you rolled through. We got to check out their handiwork last year, while everything sticks to the same alignments, the trails are essentially brand new — click here for more.
For all the gravity fiends out there, shuttles are available to zoom you right back to the top while you give your quads a well-deserved break. With so many top-notch XC trails on offer though, we highly recommend kitting up for an adventure and making your way over to Stonefly or the highly acclaimed Australian Alpine Epic trail. It’s anything but a walk in the park but, your efforts will be rewarded with views every bit as incredible as the trails you’re riding.
Taking just over 3 hours to reach, Mount Buller is no short commute. This drive, paired with the sheer number of must-ride trails, Buller is a location best enjoyed over multiple days. As one of the country’s premier ski resorts, you definitely won’t be left stranded if you decide to stay a night or two. Hotels, lodges, restaurants and bars will ensure that you swing the leg onto your bike the following day well fed, rested and ready for more.
Have we piqued your interest? Head over to the Destination page to find out more info about what lies in store at Mount Buller.
Yackandandah | The ultimate rock-up and ride destination
Although Yackandandah’s mining days are all but over, there’s still plenty of…ahem, gold to be found in this small rural town nestled in the north-east of Victoria.
If the pace of city living is taking its toll, then a bike-enabled getaway to Yack may be just what the doctor ordered. Once the car is packed and the bikes are loaded up, a 3.5-hour drive from Melbourne will see you breathing in that fresh restorative air of the Victorian bushland as you navigate your way through the area’s unique network of XC trails.
Close to 50km of well-signposted singletrack loop out from the trailhead car park, with unique features having been adapted from remaining canyons and channels dug in the area’s bygone mining era. The trailhead map at the parking lot gives you a great insight into the kind of fun you’re about to embark on, with the options being predominantly graded blue. With the exception of the beginner-friendly green trail, the loops all range upwards of 15km with plenty of gradual climbs and fast-flowing descents for you to pit yourself against.
Compared to many expertly developed trail centres across Victoria, the Yack Tracks have a distinctly natural feeling to them, stripping away the man-made obstacles and immersing you in the flow of the land. As for your steed, a short travel trail bike wouldn’t go astray here. Although there is plenty of pedalling to be done, there is also no shortage of rough stuff to keep things interesting. Word to the wise? Think skinny thoughts. There are plenty of tight tree gaps out there to test out your precision.
Once the day is done, your legs are cooked and your smile is wide, you’d be doing yourself a great disservice if you chose to skip the post-ride feed at any of the delectable eateries found in the township of Yackandandah.
If you want to read more about the gem that is Yackandandah, check out the Destination Page.
Beechworth | Granite, Granite and more Granite
Cheese and wine. Ducks and water. Jack Moir and a trailside dad-cam. Some things just pair together perfectly. The same can be said for Yackandandah and the iconic MTB destination of Beechworth. You can’t ride at one without making the 20-minute drive over for a rip around the other — they’re also by the Indigo Epic Trail. Also situated in the High Country 3.5 hours from Melbourne, this trail network is well-deserving of its place on the list of Victoria’s best trails.
Beechworth, while situated so close to Yack, offers its own brand of fun. Strewn across the landscape are gigantic granite boulders that are just begging to be ridden over, while technical rock gardens, flowy descents, jumps, berms and switchbacked climbs are just some of the features you can expect to encounter on your spin.
Beechworth is another of those locations that caters for a wide range of skill levels. There’s a fun green loop near the car park for those still new to the sport, a diverse mix of intermediate blue trails, all the way through to advanced gravity-fed trails that shoot you directly through the gnarliest terrain in the area. With this in mind, bringing a bike with a bit of squish is going to allow you to squeeze every drop of fun out of the Beechworth trails. A mid-travel trail bike will most definitely allow you to give most things a go while still retaining some pedal-ability for when the trails inevitably point back up. If you’re after a combination that best showcases the personality of the Beechworth trails, the 10km blue XC loop marked out on the trail map makes for a fantastic sampling platter that will have you stoked to get out and try the rest of the trails in the area.
While you’re there don’t forget about Flame Trees. A short pedal from town on the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, this journeys through rolling Australiana, using every gully, dip and roller to create 10km of flowy goodness.
We here at Flow understand that a day of being awesome on a bike undoubtedly leaves you thirsty. Luckily the good folk at Bridge Road Brewers in town have you covered for that hydrating, locally brewed post-ride nectar.
If Beechworth sounds like your cup of tea, head over to the Destination Page for more information and begin planning your trip.
The Indigo Epic Trail
We mentioned the Indigo Epic Trail in the last section, but this masterpiece through the side country is worthy of its own bullet point. Creating a helix loop between Beechworth and Yack, there are 32km of freshly built singletrack that plugs into the existing trail networks in each town.
Winding its way through classic Aussie bush, it’s built to about a blue difficulty throughout, this immaculate flow trail is packed full of fun side pops and huge catch berms. Best of all, the masterminds at Trailscapes have designed the whole thing to be predictable, so even on your first run-through, you can let off the brakes and give it the beans.
Being arranged in a figure-eight, you can either ride from town to town and hitch a ride back, or create extended loops — we love starting in Yack, having lunch at Nine Mile Creek and finishing off with the Homeward Bound Descent.
Want to know more about the Indigo Epic, check out the shenanigans that Emma, Jono, Lia and Ben got up to exploring this new trail.
Where can I learn more?
Has this been a lot to take in? Well, believe us when we say that this is a non-exhaustive list, rather serving as a greatest hits setlist to what is an overwhelmingly diverse and beautiful state. Whether you’re a Victorian resident looking for a new patch of your own backyard to explore, or you’re visiting from interstate or overseas and you want to make sure your time on the bike is as memorable as possible; this list is a pretty good place to start. Check out the Destination Hub for the full low-down of each state and territories’ hottest trails, then get out there and ride!
