Review Detail
4.1 5 0.5
Montezuma - how to get there & back without any wrong turns
Overall rating
4.5
Fun factor
5.0
Technical challenge
4.0
Scenic/cultural/historical value
4.5
Overall rating
4.5
Review
Updates
Just did my third ride to Montezuma Falls (Jan 2015) in the past year and after experiencing confusion over the lack of track signage at key junctions between Zeehan & Montezuma on previous rides I've finally unlocked the mystery. Thought I'd share with others interested in taking on this awesome ride the keys to not getting lost out there.
This time I chose to start at the Melba Flats roadside 'carpark' on the Murchison Hwy located not too far outside of Zeehan. Lookout for signage on the right hand side if heading from Zeehan opposite a road leading to a mining co. From here it's 14kms to the falls following a rather wet & muddy 4wd track even in Summer. The final 3.5kms from the Ring Rd junction is pretty much all downhill, a welcome relief after 10.5kms of steady uphill pedalling. This time I chose not to ride the 5.5kms from the falls to the Williamsford car park, instead heading back the way I came up to Melba Flats. No one should get lost on this section.
Next I headed to Zeehan to take in my favourite section of the track. Okay from Melba Flats ride down the hwy for approx. 500m where you'll see a gravel road on your right. Turn down here and around 100m from the hwy you'll be faced with a road block. Go under or around this yellow gate and approx. 1km further on you'll go under an old railway bridge. Now here's the key to staying 'on track'.
Once past the bridge the gravel road you're on veers to the right but go straight on instead following a less defined track. Almost immediately after this the new track you're now on also veers right, this time keep following it to the right ( don't go straight). Now around 2kms later if you want to follow the old railway line you'll come across a gravel road on your left, turn down here and the rail line is basically right there for you to follow. I turned down here so I could experience the rail line on the way to Zeehan and the 'bush' track running parallel to the rail line on the way back to Melba Flats. If not don't turn here, following the track you're already on all the way to the outskirts of Zeehan.
Both the rail line and the adjacent track are heavily overgrown with plenty of standing water to wade through but mainly you're ducking and dodging tee trees that have fallen across your path. The rail line is shorter and therefore quicker but you won't save that much time not taking the track next to the rail line so I really recommend you do both tracks, they're both a great experience.
Hope this proves useful to any future users of this terrific ride.
Steve
This time I chose to start at the Melba Flats roadside 'carpark' on the Murchison Hwy located not too far outside of Zeehan. Lookout for signage on the right hand side if heading from Zeehan opposite a road leading to a mining co. From here it's 14kms to the falls following a rather wet & muddy 4wd track even in Summer. The final 3.5kms from the Ring Rd junction is pretty much all downhill, a welcome relief after 10.5kms of steady uphill pedalling. This time I chose not to ride the 5.5kms from the falls to the Williamsford car park, instead heading back the way I came up to Melba Flats. No one should get lost on this section.
Next I headed to Zeehan to take in my favourite section of the track. Okay from Melba Flats ride down the hwy for approx. 500m where you'll see a gravel road on your right. Turn down here and around 100m from the hwy you'll be faced with a road block. Go under or around this yellow gate and approx. 1km further on you'll go under an old railway bridge. Now here's the key to staying 'on track'.
Once past the bridge the gravel road you're on veers to the right but go straight on instead following a less defined track. Almost immediately after this the new track you're now on also veers right, this time keep following it to the right ( don't go straight). Now around 2kms later if you want to follow the old railway line you'll come across a gravel road on your left, turn down here and the rail line is basically right there for you to follow. I turned down here so I could experience the rail line on the way to Zeehan and the 'bush' track running parallel to the rail line on the way back to Melba Flats. If not don't turn here, following the track you're already on all the way to the outskirts of Zeehan.
Both the rail line and the adjacent track are heavily overgrown with plenty of standing water to wade through but mainly you're ducking and dodging tee trees that have fallen across your path. The rail line is shorter and therefore quicker but you won't save that much time not taking the track next to the rail line so I really recommend you do both tracks, they're both a great experience.
Hope this proves useful to any future users of this terrific ride.
Steve
Would you recommend?
S