If you’re sitting on the fence, wondering whether or not to bring your bike up to Cairns, let us make that decision on your behalf: BRING IT. The riding in and around Cairns is status-update-worthy stuff (“OMG! Just rode Kuranda! #sick”), with legendary downhill tracks littering the escarpment and a great network of easily accessible cross country trails within Smithfield Mountain Bike Park too. And, from our experience, watching others race is just about the best riding inspiration there is, so bring a bike and satisfy your urges!
Smithfield:
Flow was lucky enough to spend some time on the Smithfield trails last year, not long after they’d received a revitalisation at the hands of Glen Jacobs and the World Trail crew. These magnificent jungle trails are world class – rolling, rhythmic and funky, with more than enough of offer to keep you busy in between sessions trackside.
View the trail map here, along with some vision from our session on the trails, below.
Atherton:
But you’d be foolish to confine your riding just to Cairns. The whole Tropical North Queensland region has evolved into a serious hot bed of mountain biking goodness, from the rocky Douglas Mountain Bike Park in Townsville up to Cooktown (finishing point for the legendary Croc Trophy), particularly with the recent blossoming of Atherton into one of Australia’s leading trail centres.
Atherton is a special place to ride; just an hour’s drive inland from Cairns, up in the cooler air of the tablelands, this gem of a town has one of the best trail networks we’ve ever encountered in Australia. There’s well over 40km of professionally constructed singletrack already in-situ, with more than 30km still to be developed. We were fortunate enough to spend three days there, in paradise, recently. See for yourself what it’s all about.
Marathon racing:
If you’re feeling inspired by the World Cup, Atherton will also be playing host to round #5 of the Real Insurance XCM Series on ANZAC Day, April 25. We can think of fewer better ways to see all the trails, so if you’re marathon inclined, make sure you check out all the details here.